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Search for people trapped in fire Fire tackled by 200 firefighters
(about 1 hour later)
Fire crews are searching for people thought to be trapped in a fire at a clothing factory in the West Midlands. Up to 200 firefighters are tackling a fire at a clothing factory in the West Midlands that has spread to a second building.
About 130 firefighters have been tackling the fire at the Hawthorn Trading Estate in Cornwall Road, Smethwick, since 1220 BST. Fire chiefs said asbestos may have been released into the environment and urged people living near the Smethwick factory to shut windows and doors.
Part of the roof has collapsed and not everyone who was in Monty's Tropical Rags factory has been accounted for. There have been no casualties and no-one was thought to be trapped in the buildings.
Police have shut roads around Cornwall Road, along with Bridge Street North, Rabone Lane and Downing Street. Roads were shut around Monty's Tropical Rags factory and surrounding buildings.
Eyewitnesses have reported large black plumes of smoke across the area and the police helicopter has been circling overhead. It was bad - the building was collapsing and all the asbestos was being thrown to the floor Wayne Shaw, eyewitness
It's been difficult for them to tackle it - there are at least 20 fire engines there Shaun Abbey, eyewitness Cornwall Road, along with Bridge Street North, Rabone Lane and Downing Street were closed because of the incident.
The fire service earlier told people living and working within a half-mile radius of the site, which is near West Bromwich Albion's football stadium, to leave their homes. Eyewitnesses reported seeing large black plumes of smoke across the area and the police helicopter circling over the factory site on Hawthorns Industrial Estate.
By 1430 BST, fire chiefs told people they no longer had to leave but should keep their windows and doors shut. The fire service told people living and working within a half-mile radius of the site, which is near West Bromwich Albion's football stadium, to keep their windows shut and stay inside.
Some firefighters had to leave the site when part of the building collapsed. Some firefighters had to leave the site when parts of the buildings collapsed.
'Fire spreading' 'Building collapsing'
Police said it was not yet known what had caused the fire. Eyewitness Chris Myers said: "I looked up and saw four firefighters on the building.
Shaun Abbey, of nearby Richmond Motors, said he had been told by police to choose whether to stay or close. "Two of them managed to get down the ladders on time and two others had to run back on to the other part of the building because it was collapsing."
However, he said they had decided to leave as the fire started spreading towards the building. Police said it was not yet known what caused the fire.
He said: "The fire's been spreading across from that building and could be going towards another company.
"It's been difficult for them to tackle it - there are at least 20 fire engines there. It's a real bad one."
Wayne Shaw, who works near the industrial estate, said he saw the fire spread to two other buildings.Wayne Shaw, who works near the industrial estate, said he saw the fire spread to two other buildings.
He said: "It was bad - the building was collapsing and all the asbestos was being thrown to the floor."He said: "It was bad - the building was collapsing and all the asbestos was being thrown to the floor."