Five police officers were injured and a motorist died after a van exploded following a pursuit.
The driver, who has not been named by Merseyside Police, was stopped shortly before 10pm at St James's Place, off Park Road, Dingle, close to Liverpool city centre, after a "slow pursuit".
Officers said the van exploded then caught fire and the driver was taken to hospital suffering from serious injuries but died later.
All officers are being kept in hospital.
One is described as having significant injuries, one has minor injuries and three have serious injuries, according to a police spokesman.
A number of residents were evacuated after the explosion but have since been allowed to return home.
A Merseyside Police spokesman said: "Officers are currently trying to establish the cause of the explosion but it's too early to rule anything out.
"However, it has been confirmed there were no explosive devices in the van."
The investigation into what caused the explosion is being carried out with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
The matter has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
