AN INVESTIGATION has been launched to uncover the cause of a fire which crews spent more than six hours tackling on Monday afternoon.
Seven fire engines rushed to the scene at around 1pm, with cordons in place on Thatto Heath Road as emergency services dealt with the blaze.
A first floor flat above a row of shops was found to be "well alight" as crews arrived.
The fire was within the roof space of four brick built terraced properties, the fire service said.
Smoke could be seen emitting from the properties.
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A crane could be seen being used as crews cracked open the roof in their efforts to tackle the fire.
A Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said earlier today: "Fire crews have been called to a flat fire on Stevens Street, Scholes Lane, Thatto Heath, St Helens (on Monday) afternoon.
"Crews were alerted at 12.59pm and on scene at 1.04pm, with seven fire engines and an aerial appliance currently in attendance.
"Crews arrived to find a first floor flat above a row of shops well alight. The fire is within the roof space of four brick built terraced properties at the incident site."
He added that all people at the properties have been accounted for.
After extinguishing the blaze, firefighters remained at the scene to deal with hotspots and damp down the roof space from an aerial appliance, monitoring temperatures with a thermal imaging camera.
A fire and rescue service spokeswoman said today: "At 7.07pm all firefighting ceased and crews left the scene at 7.25pm.
"An investigation into the cause is still ongoing."
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