Former LJMU IM Marsh campus fire prompts security concerns in Liverpool 2026

Key Points

• Fire broke out in the roof of an empty former student accommodation building at the IM Marsh campus of Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, Barkhill Road, on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
• The Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service was informed of the blaze at 3.41pm, and eight fire engines, along with one aerial appliance, reached the site in ten minutes’ time.
• The building that caught fire measured about 100 meters by 20 meters, and had a “well developed” fire in its roof when the fire-fighters reached there.
• According to LJMU and emergency services, the fire has been put out without any casualty being reported.
• Merseyside Police was there to manage cordons on Barkhill Road and North Sudley Road; Barkhill Road remained shut on Sunday between Mossley Hill Road and Aigburth Road.
• Mossley Hill councillor Rob McAllister-Bell said he had raised the issue many times in the summer regarding children, youths and urban explorers entering the derelict buildings.
• He said that the access points remained unprotected, and broken windows were not being boarded, while LJMU said that it had increased security through daily dog patrols and almost 200 sensors and security cameras.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) October 19, 2026 – A large fire at LJMU’s former IM Marsh campus has renewed concerns about security at the vacant south Liverpool site, after a local councillor said residents had repeatedly warned that trespass and unsecured buildings could lead to injury or a blaze. The fire, which broke out in the roof of an unoccupied former student accommodation block on Barkhill Road, was contained with no reported casualties, but an investigation into its cause is continuing.

What happened at the former LJMU campus?

As reported by the Liverpool Echo, emergency services were called to the empty IM Marsh campus on Saturday, October 17, after smoke from the fire could be seen for miles. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said crews were alerted at 3.41pm and reached the scene within 10 minutes.

Firefighters found an unoccupied student accommodation block measuring around 100 metres by 20 metres, with a “well developed” fire in the roof. Eight fire engines and an aerial appliance attended the incident, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Merseyside Police also attended to manage road closures on Barkhill Road and North Sudley Road. Although crews extinguished the fire, the Liverpool Echo reported that Barkhill Road remained closed on Sunday between Mossley Hill Road and Aigburth Road.

Were there any injuries?

No casualties were reported. LJMU said in an official statement that the fire had been contained and that it was working closely with the emergency services.

“The university is working closely with the emergency services following a major fire at IM Marsh. The fire has been contained and there have been no casualties reported,” LJMU stated.

The university added that it vacated the site several years ago and that there had been no teaching or other student-facing activity at IM Marsh since 2020.

What concerns were raised before the fire?

Cllr Rob McAllister-Bell, the Liberal Democrat member for Mossley Hill, said residents had felt anxiety since the blaze. He told the Liverpool Echo that concerns about people accessing the derelict buildings had been raised throughout the summer.

“I have also written to the university and wider stakeholders to press for measures to secure the site and protect all its buildings, particularly the listed building and all stakeholders will be meeting to discuss the next steps and additional measures that can be put into place,” Cllr McAllister-Bell said, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.

He said he had repeatedly raised concerns about children, young people and urban explorers entering the buildings. He also said that, despite 24-hour security being in place, he continued to see incidents of trespass.

“Despite 24-hour security being in place, I continued to see repeated incidents of trespass. I warned that those entering the site risked being seriously injured, and that the buildings themselves were at risk of fire unless they were fully secured,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

Cllr McAllister-Bell added that access points into the buildings remained unsecured and broken windows had not been boarded. “Many residents feel that a serious incident was inevitable,” he said.

What did residents say?

As reported by the BBC, Dave Thomas, chair of Mossley Hill Residents Association, said the university was “not looking after it properly”. He claimed security at the site had “lapsed” while LJMU was understood to be selling the site.

“They’re not looking after it properly, and the people of the area are fed up with it,”

Mr Thomas told the BBC.

Cllr McAllister-Bell told the BBC that residents had previously warned that one of the buildings could be exposed to fire or that somebody could be injured on the site. “It felt like what happened was an inevitability,” he said.

What has LJMU said about security?

An LJMU representative told the BBC that the university was in the process of disposing of the IM Marsh site, which had not formed an active part of its estate since 2020. The representative said the site had nevertheless remained under the university’s protection and security rota.

“The university became aware that the IM Marsh site had become the target of anti-social behaviour in the summer and immediately stepped up the security measures with our contracted security company, including daily dog patrols and the installation of nearly 200 sensors and security cameras on site,” the LJMU representative told the BBC.

LJMU also said it had remained in close contact with local residents and councillors, keeping them updated on plans for the site.

How did emergency services respond?

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was reported at 3.41pm on October 17 and that crews were on scene nine minutes later. Eight fire engines and an aerial appliance were initially deployed, according to Greatest Hits Radio.

Firefighters tackled the flames internally and externally. The service said the fire was confined to one building, approximately 100 metres by 20 metres in size, and that there were no reported casualties.

Merseyside Police managed cordons on Barkhill Road and North Sudley Road during the response. The Liverpool Echo reported that people were advised to avoid the area while the incident was ongoing.

Is the cause of the fire known?

The cause has not yet been established. The BBC reported that an investigation is under way to find out what caused the fire.

No organisation has been attributed responsibility for starting the blaze in the available reporting. The confirmed facts are that the building was unoccupied, the fire began in the roof, and the emergency services contained it without reported injuries.

What is the history of IM Marsh?

IM Marsh was founded in 1900 by Irene Mabel Marsh as a physical education teacher training college for girls. According to the BBC, the campus included a sports hall, playing fields, a swimming pool and tennis courts.

The site formerly housed LJMU’s School of Education, Leisure and Sport Studies, as well as the School of Teacher Education and Professional Learning, according to the Liverpool Echo.

LJMU closed the campus in 2020 when it moved teaching to the city centre. The site also contains Bark Hill, a Grade II listed early 19th-century neo-classical villa.

Background of the development

The IM Marsh campus sits on Barkhill Road, on the border of Mossley Hill and Aigburth in south Liverpool. It was an active LJMU teaching site until 2020, after which the university vacated the buildings and later began the process of disposing of the site.

Concerns about the vacant campus were raised before the fire. Cllr McAllister-Bell said he met the university, police and the residents’ association last month to discuss the site and improving security, while LJMU said it had responded to summer anti-social behaviour by increasing patrols and installing sensors and cameras.

The fire has now placed those earlier concerns at the centre of the response. Local representatives say further security measures will be discussed with LJMU and other stakeholders, particularly to protect the remaining buildings, including the Grade II listed Bark Hill.

Prediction: What could this mean for local residents?

For residents of Mossley Hill and Aigburth, the immediate effects are likely to involve continued disruption around Barkhill Road while investigations and safety checks take place. The road closure between Mossley Hill Road and Aigburth Road has already affected local access, and further restrictions could follow if investigators or structural specialists need to assess the damaged building.

The development may also increase pressure for stronger site security, boarding of vulnerable openings, and clearer communication from LJMU and any future owner of the site. Residents and the ward councillor are expected to press for measures that reduce the risk of further trespass, injury, or damage to the remaining heritage building.

For LJMU, the fire is likely to intensify scrutiny of how vacant sites are protected during disposal. The university has said it increased security after summer anti-social behaviour, but the incident may lead to demands for more visible, verifiable safeguards before the site changes hands.