Up to 30 homes have been destroyed in a massive fire that ripped through Stourbridge, forcing residents to flee. More than 100 firefighters have been battling the flames, which spread from grassland to buildings in the Racecourse Lane area.
MP confirms scale of destruction
Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles said she believes about “20 to 30 homes have been completely destroyed.” West Midlands Fire and Rescue were called to the scene at around 1.30pm on Thursday, with the fire spreading rapidly amid an amber warning for extreme heat.
Tom Barnett, head green keeper at Stourbridge Golf Course, described the terrifying speed of the blaze: “We had to run for it at one point... It was like a war film with ash and smoke and the intense heat. The speed of the flames were like a tidal wave.”
Casualties and response
A total of 54 people have been treated by paramedics, including 19 who were admitted to hospital, after wildfires broke out across the West Midlands, the region’s ambulance service said. Chief fire officer Simon Tuhill, of West Midlands Fire Service, said it was “one of the most significant” incidents the region’s fire service has ever dealt with.
West Midlands Fire Service says crews are “making progress” and “tactically working across several different areas of the site” today. A man who slept in his car after being caught up in the fire said police told residents they cannot return while crews work to deal with a gas leak.
Residents and officials react
Local resident Benjamin Jones said: “It’s terrifying. I mean I know it’s warm out, but I didn’t think it would be that bad. There is upwards of 40 fire trucks and emergency vehicles out there. It’s wild.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “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.” Plumes of smoke could be seen from miles around, with thousands calling 999.
