Wolverhampton fire: Explosions heard as roads and rail lines shut

Explosions were heard and smoke could be seen from 15 miles away as a fire broke out in Wolverhampton.

One resident reported the whole sky turning red and another reported seeing a fireball going into the air.

Homes were evacuated and road and rail services disrupted with some passengers being trapped on trains for two hours.

More than 100 firefighters were called to deal with the fire, which involved a number of derelict factories, at 21:00 GMT on Monday.

The fire was still going on Tuesday morning with site workers being unable to access the area and pick up their goods.

Group Commander Mark Price from West Midlands Fire Service said the fire had been a “large scale and complex incident” which covered an area of roughly 200m by 200m (656ft by 656ft).

He said his firefighters had been able to contain it and there were no reports of anybody hurt, with all the business units successfully evacuated.

Five fire engines were still at the scene on Tuesday with the service saying it was looking to “draw the incident to a safe conclusion”.

Residents in the area were told to shut windows and doors and Wolverhampton City Council arranged for people living nearby to be evacuated to two leisure centres.

One woman, who lives in the Bradmore area of the city, around three miles (5km) from the scene of the fire, told BBC WM: “The sky is red.”

A man who lives in Barr Beacon, 11 miles (18km) away, called the radio station to report seeing “a big fireball go up” and “large flames”.

Several roads in Horseley Fields were shut and remained closed to traffic on Tuesday, affecting Lower Walsall Street, Lower Horseley Fields, and Colliery Road.

Motorists have been advised to avoid the area and and allow extra time for journeys.

Lorry drivers were unable to get to their vehicles because they are behind the police cordon and said they were frustrated at not being able to work.

One said he had vehicles which needed to be in London and at a nearby building site.

Trains into the city were cancelled because the scene of the blaze is close to the main railway line and Wolverhampton railway station.

Avanti West Coast apologised to passengers who reported being stuck on their trains for up to two hours and said services had resumed, via an alternative route, by 01:00.

National Rail said major disruption would continue throughout Tuesday with services being cancelled, delayed or diverted.

West Midlands Metro said it would try to make more trams available and accept tickets from people who were due to travel by train.

It warned this could mean its vehicles were more crowded than usual.

Source: BBC News