FOUR PEOPLE DIE IN BOOTLE HOUSE FIRE

Four people have died in a house fire in Bootle, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed. The blaze broke out in the early hours at a semi-detached property in the town. Emergency crews were called to the scene at 3.38am, by which time the property was described as "well alight". The fire service has not yet given further details of the victims. Merseyside Police have not released additional information on the incident.

Six fire engines and eight firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, according to reports of the response. The property is described as a semi-detached house, though its exact location within Bootle has not been specified. No cause for the fire has yet been given. It remains unclear how the four people who died were related to one another or to the property. Emergency services attended in the early hours while it was still dark.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is expected to provide further details as its response continues. No information on the identities of those who died has yet been made public. The circumstances of the fire, including how it started, have not been confirmed. Further updates are expected as the fire service and, potentially, police continue to establish the facts of what happened. The incident is described as ongoing, with more information anticipated in the coming hours.