'Apocalyptic scenes' as fires hits West Midlands homes

The "apocalyptic scenes" caused by huge blazes in the West Midlands have led to thousands of 999 calls on the UK's hottest day of the year, a fire chief has said.

Chief fire officer Simon Tuhill, of West Midlands Fire Service, said one huge blaze in Stourbridge, which forced some people to flee after it started tearing through homes, left "extensive" devastation - adding that it was "one of the most significant" incidents the region’s fire service has ever dealt with.

Mr Tuhill said he had been in touch with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who released a statement shortly afterwards to pay tribute to the firefighters on the ground battling the wildfires.

The UK Prime Minister said: "Awful to see homes and communities hit by fires across the country tonight as the heatwave continues.

"My thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have been injured or forced from their homes, and with the firefighters who have been taken to hospital.

"I’m in touch with local leaders (including West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker) and will be speaking to emergency services on the ground as they continue their response.

"Our firefighters are working in incredibly difficult conditions and putting themselves at risk to keep others safe. A huge thank you to them and everyone supporting the effort tonight," the UK leader added.

Nathan Hudson, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, said six people were treated by crews at the scene in the town, with two taken to hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation.

Mr Burnham has pledged to support fire and rescue services in the region with any additional resources they need, the county’s mayor Richard Parker told Sky News.

Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: "We are working closely with the local Fire and Rescue Service and partners on the ground in Stourbridge and are being regularly updated.

"I would like to thank the brave emergency services, and my thoughts are with people who have been forced to leave their homes."

The Met Office said 38.1C was recorded at Kew Gardens in London yesterday - the second time this year the country has seen temperatures reach 38C.

Temperatures are set to cool slightly today, with highs of 34C expected in the south east.

However, little rain is forecast for the Midlands and many parts of the country over the weekend.

Speaking at the scene of the Stourbridge blaze, Mr Tuhill said more than 100 firefighters were sent to the scene, saying the fire is believed to have started in the grassland before spreading to homes nearby.

An investigation into how the fire in Stourbridge, West Midlands, started will now begin, the chief fire officer said.

"Of course, we will carry out a joint investigation with police colleagues and our specialist fire investigation team," Mr Tuhill told a late night press conference.

"They will be here on scene as soon as they can to start investigating the possible cause."

In neighbouring Worcestershire, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said a number of homes had been damaged and 30 properties were evacuated in Pershore following a large fire on Lancelott Court.

The fire service said one person was treated for smoke inhalation following the incident at about 4.30pm, and about 200 homes in the area were left without power.

In Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, another blaze hit "a small number of properties and gardens" in the Goldenhill area of the city.

In Warwickshire, the county’s fire and rescue service said it was responding to a "large fire" in Salford Priors, Stratford-upon-Avon, which has been declared a major incident.

Police, fire crews and ambulances are at the scene of the wildfire.

Wollaston and Stourbridge Town councillor Andrew Southall said care home residents were evacuated alongside others as a result of the fire near Stourbridge golf course.

Footage on social media showed multiple buildings on fire and huge plumes of smoke coming from a nearby field.

The fire service said flames were spreading "across roads in places", with people urged to stay indoors.

Drone footage published by the force showed a heat map of flames threatening to engulf homes in the area as smoke billowed across the town.

Stourbridge town hall has been set up as a rescue centre for people who have had to flee their homes.

Councillor Andrew Tromans, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge Town on Dudley Borough Council, described the scene of the fire in Stourbridge as "apocalyptic".

In a statement on Facebook, he said: "The apocalyptic scenes in Norton and across Stourbridge are sadly just a taste of what is to come if we don’t act."

He added: "It is my view, and it has been for a while, that Dudley councillors must have an emergency meeting about protecting our borough from the impacts of climate change."