Large blaze at Birmingham shop tackled by dozens of firefighters is being treated as 'suspected arson'
Dozens of firefighters tackled a large blaze at a Birmingham shop this morning.
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The fire in Sparkhill is now “under control”, West Midlands Fire Service said.
A witness said it appears to have been caused by a car which was set alight and rammed into a supermarket.
In a statement, the fire service said: “Shortly before 4.55am on Monday (23 December), we responded to Stratford Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham.
"Ten fire engines, two 4×4 brigade response vehicles and a hydraulic aerial platform responded, crewed by around 55 firefighters.
“This was a fire at the front of a retail shop, which spread to shop signage and the bay windows of flats above the shop. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the shop and flats to search for casualties.
“Five people from the flats had left their properties and received checks from attending paramedics. There were no casualties or injuries and everyone has been accounted for.
“Firefighters have made good progress at the scene and the fire is under control. The hydraulic aerial platform remains in use as crews work to prevent fire spread. Two fire engines remain at the scene.
“Police colleagues are in attendance. Stratford Road is closed in both directions from Formans Road to Nansen Road.
“Fire Investigators are at the scene, working with crews.”
The fire appears to have been caused by a car which was set alight and rammed into a supermarket, according to a witness.
Local property developer Isaac Zintaan said he was alerted to the fire by residents of his nearby premises after they told him they heard a “loud explosion”.
“I have a business close by… the residents of my premises heard a loud explosion – ‘like a bomb went off’ that’s what they described,” the 28-year-old from Sparkhill told the PA news agency.
“(When I arrived) everyone was coughing due to the intensity of the smoke.”
Mr Zintaan said it appeared a car had rammed the supermarket on the ground floor of the building and footage taken by him showed a Land Rover on fire with its rear to the property – as if having reversed into it.
Police are investigating the incident as a 'suspected arson'.
In a statement, West Midlands Police said: “We are investigating after a suspected arson on Stratford Road, Birmingham this morning (23 Dec).
“We were called at around 4.50am to reports of a fire at a shop.
“It’s understood a vehicle hit the building. It was set alight, causing the shop and flats above to catch fire.
“Residents from the flats have been evacuated. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
“We are working alongside West Midlands Fire Service colleagues to investigate the circumstances.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact us via Live Chat on our website or call 101 quoting 437 of 23 Dec.”
