Ex-Southport boss’s family caught up in car park blaze
FORMER Southport FC manager Mark Wright was caught up in the drama as a fire caused huge damage at the Liverpool ECHO arena car park.
Wright, who had two spells with the Sandgrounders and also captained Liverpool FC, attended the International Horse Show with wife Sue and their children, only to see the fire break out as they left the multi-storey car park. Sue even helped to save the lives of horses by warning stablehands.
The family spotted a Land Rover which had burst into flames and quick-thinking Sue called 999 and took a photo to help fire fighters locate the blaze.
As Mark took their children outside, Sue went down to the ground floor and told stablehands to take their horses outside. Sue, who is managing director of Signature Living developers, said: “We were driving down the ramp when we spotted it and almost instantly other drivers abandoned their cars and ran out of the car park on foot.
“I told Mark to take the kids outside and I went back in to call 999 and take a picture so I could show fire crews exactly where the fire was on level three.
“By the time I called 999, the fire was well away and it was clear it was going to spread so I called the organisers – who are friends of ours – to tell them what was happening.
“They were already aware so I went to speak to the chief fire officer about getting the horses evacuated from underneath the Arena. When I went down I could already tell the horses were spooked so I told the stablehands there to put the bridles on the horses and get them out.
“I knew someone else would’ve done the same but I just happened to be the first one there.
“Better to be cautious than anything else. My children have been left very upset by it but we’re home and everyone’s safe, which is all that matters.”
Mark managed Southport from 2000-01 and made an unsuccessful return as head of club development this summer, leaving the role just four months later.
He said that as the fire began he looked around for fire extinguishers but could not find one.
He added: “I genuinely thought it could have been contained. It was only one bonnet that was up on a very old car.
“There should be extinguishers on every floor and I really do believe, if someone had been around, that could have been contained really, really easily.
“It was only one car, then all of a sudden you haven’t got 1,600 cars and a whole building going up and everyone being evacuated and causing chaos.”
Merseyside Police said initial investigations indicate an accidental fire within a vehicle caused other cars to ignite.
Merseyside Fire & Rescue service said that noone was hurt and no animals were injured.