OFFICERS believe that a blaze in a Birkenhead listed building on Monday night may have been started deliberately after discovering two different seats of fire.

The Antiques Triangle building, on Cross Street, was gutted by the fire which started some time before 6pm on Monday. The sandstone building was being renovated by Pier Head Housing Association.

The alarm was raised by Mr Phil Smith, whose five-year-old daughter Anna spotted the blaze.

Brigade spokesman, Station Officer Mike Harris, said: "The fire had been going some time and was well developed by the time we were called."

It is believed the fire started in number 7 Cross Street and went up a central staircase before spreading across the roof space to neighbouring addresses. The sturdy structure of the building, which was built in 1847, may have helped stop the fire from spreading further.

The fire took about two dozen officers with five pumps roughly three hours to get under control.

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