Euro Chemist pharmacy on Berry Street in Liverpool had to close temporarily due to smoke and heat damage after the fire last week (January 5).

Pharmacist at Euro Chemist Derryn Cottrill told C+D yesterday (January 12) that “the pharmacy itself has been completely ruined with smoke and heat damage”.

But she added that the team is “working to open up a temporary dispensary within the next four weeks to run at some capacity in order to continue to support the community during these difficult times, especially given the current NHS crisis”.

Ms Cottrill told C+D: “We are well known throughout the city centre as well as on our social media platforms and are devastated about the events that occurred.

“We have been open on Berry Street for 42 years this month…with the same owner, Kenneth Liu, and have kept the same staff for many years – we really are just one big family.” 

Electrical fault

“All we know so far is that the fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault but we have yet to receive the full fire report,” Ms Cottrill said.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said it was “in attendance at a building fire on Berry Street” in Liverpool City Centre on January 5.

A notice on its website said: “Crews were alerted at 8.36 and on scene at 8.40, there are currently five fire engines at this incident.”

It added that two firefighters entered the ground floor commercial premises and began a search of the flats above while six firefighters worked to locate and extinguish the fire.

The fire “was located and extinguished shortly after”, it said.