FIREFIGHTERS are battling a blaze at Birkenhead's Cammell Laird shipyard involving a gas cylinder.
A cordon has been put in place around the Campbeltown Road area after crews were called out to reports that a cylinder of acetylene - used in welding operations - was on fire.
The Globe understands the cylinder was on board a ship currently at the yard.
Although rare, acetylene can cause explosions.
Around 200 staff were evacuated from the site.
Five fire engines were in attendance. The blaze broke out at around 8.40am.
Firefighters remain on site and are carrying out the "cooling down" process.
A spokesman for Cammell Laird said: "We can confirm the fire brigade were called this morning as a precaution to oversee the safe exhausting of a gas cylinder ignition on No 5 Dock quayside.
"The ignition has now been exhausted and the fire service is overseeing the cylinder cooling down process.
"There has been no accident or injuries associated with the incident. Again as precaution a 250 meter exclusion zone was introduced. We expect full production to start again shortly."
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