40 firefighters battle West Bromwich factory blaze
Around 40 firefighters have been tackling a major blaze at a factory in the Black Country.
A ground-floor stock room at RAK Ceramics was destroyed in the fire in Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, which started at around 4.30am.
The blaze was out by 6.30am but not before around 60 per cent of the factory was damaged by fire and smoke.
At its peak, eight pumps were used to battle the flames and three fire engines were still at the scene damping down at 9am.
It is not yet known what started the blaze but nobody is believed to have been injured.
Crews from West Bromwich, Smethwick, Handsworth, Oldbury, Ladywood and Tipton were all sent to the unit.
A West Midlands Fire spokesperson said: "We got the call at 4.33am. It was a 999 call to Birmingham Road in West Bromwich.
"It was a severe fire in factory unit and at the height of the blaze we had eight fire engines at the scene.
"The stop message came through at 6.40am.
"The fire was located in the ground-floor stock room.
"The stock room was 100 per cent destroyed by the fire and 60 per cent of the factory was affected.
"18 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were using two main jets and sectioned the fire.
"Utilities have been isolated. Police and ambulance services were in attendance and all persons are accounted for.
"Three fire engines are still at the scene damping down and assisting fire investigations - with the cause still being looked into."
