One person has died and another has been injured after a car exploded outside a hospital in Liverpool.

Merseyside Police confirmed it was called to reports of a car explosion outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital at 10.59am on Sunday.

Images from the scene showed a car on fire and then burnt out, with smoke billowing over the building.

“Unfortunately, we can confirm that one person has died and another has been taken to hospital where he is being treated for his injuries, which thankfully are not life-threatening,” the force said in a statement.

“So we far we understand that the car involved was a taxi which pulled up at the hospital shortly before the explosion occurred.”

Counter-terrorism officers are leading the investigation into what happened, but detectives are keeping an “open mind” over the cause, they added.

The hospital said visiting access to the site has been restricted “until further notice” and patients are being diverted to other hospitals “where possible”.

A statement said ambulances are still arriving and staff are being allowed to leave and enter “under the supervision of the police”.

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson described the incident as “unsettling and upsetting”.

“My thoughts are with those affected,” she tweeted. “I’d like to thank the emergency services for their swift response and for bringing calm to the situation.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel posted to say she is being “regularly updated” on the “awful incident”.

“Our police and emergency services are working hard to establish what happened and it is right they are given the time and space to do so,” she added.

A cordon and road closures have been put in place while police examine the scene.

No arrests have been made.