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| Smethwick recycling fire: 'Largest blaze' in West Midlands | Smethwick recycling fire: 'Largest blaze' in West Midlands |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Firefighters tackling a blaze involving 100,000 tonnes of plastic recycling material and a factory unit say they have now contained the largest fire seen in the West Midlands. | Firefighters tackling a blaze involving 100,000 tonnes of plastic recycling material and a factory unit say they have now contained the largest fire seen in the West Midlands. |
| The fire has been blamed on Chinese lanterns that dropped on the plastics. | The fire has been blamed on Chinese lanterns that dropped on the plastics. |
| The fire service said 200 firefighters were at the scene in Smethwick. Three of them have been taken to hospital. | The fire service said 200 firefighters were at the scene in Smethwick. Three of them have been taken to hospital. |
| A plume of smoke is rising 6,000ft into the air from the fire at the Jayplas depot in Dartmouth Road. | A plume of smoke is rising 6,000ft into the air from the fire at the Jayplas depot in Dartmouth Road. |
| Birmingham International Airport was alerted, but flights were unaffected. | |
| 'Tremendous heat' | 'Tremendous heat' |
| The fire is on an industrial estate, but the closest residents were being advised to keep windows closed. | |
| The fire service said Dartmouth Road, Halfords Lane and Brasshouse Lane were closed to traffic and that the fire was likely to cause congestion in the area. | The fire service said Dartmouth Road, Halfords Lane and Brasshouse Lane were closed to traffic and that the fire was likely to cause congestion in the area. |
| It also urged motorists to avoid junction one of the M5 if possible. | It also urged motorists to avoid junction one of the M5 if possible. |
| Nearby Galton Valley Primary School in Brasshouse Lane was closed because of the road closures. | |
| Chief fire officer Vij Randeniya said the fire, which began at about 23:00 BST on Sunday, had been contained to an area of about 90,000 sq m. | |
| Mr Randeniya said his crews had saved a number of warehouses. | |
| "We've also removed 12 articulated lorries, saved an awful lot of businesses on the perimeter and now we're to spend the next two or three days putting the thing out," he said. | |
| "The heat that's coming off that fire is tremendous. | "The heat that's coming off that fire is tremendous. |
| "The smoke's gone up to 6,000 feet but it's sucking the air in around the area and that's feeding oxygen which is making the fire burn more fiercely." | "The smoke's gone up to 6,000 feet but it's sucking the air in around the area and that's feeding oxygen which is making the fire burn more fiercely." |
| The service has previously campaigned against the use of Chinese lanterns. | The service has previously campaigned against the use of Chinese lanterns. |
| "What you're doing in an unregulated and uncontrolled way is putting fire in the sky and every now and again it lands on something like this and we're here for three days," Mr Randeniya said. | "What you're doing in an unregulated and uncontrolled way is putting fire in the sky and every now and again it lands on something like this and we're here for three days," Mr Randeniya said. |
| Area commander Steve Vincent described it as the "largest fire that we've had in the West Midlands". | Area commander Steve Vincent described it as the "largest fire that we've had in the West Midlands". |
| The fire service said its control centre had received more than 200 calls about the blaze and urged people to call 999 only if really necessary. | The fire service said its control centre had received more than 200 calls about the blaze and urged people to call 999 only if really necessary. |
| 'Loud bangs' | 'Loud bangs' |
| The ambulance service said it had treated "nine patients for injuries received at the scene". | The ambulance service said it had treated "nine patients for injuries received at the scene". |
| "Three of these patients were later conveyed to a local hospital as a precautionary measure," a spokesman added. | "Three of these patients were later conveyed to a local hospital as a precautionary measure," a spokesman added. |
| Public Health England in the West Midlands said smoke from any source could contain substances to irritate breathing, skin or eyes. | |
| "Respiratory symptoms may include coughing and wheezing, breathlessness, sputum (phlegm) production and chest pain," a spokesman said. | |
| "People with asthma and other respiratory conditions may be particularly susceptible to the smoke and should carry and use their medication (such as inhalers) as usual." | |
| Eye-witness Jack Awal said he could see the fire from his home two miles away in Handsworth. | Eye-witness Jack Awal said he could see the fire from his home two miles away in Handsworth. |
| He said: "I heard a loud bang and went outside to see what it was. | He said: "I heard a loud bang and went outside to see what it was. |
| "I immediately recognised where the smoke was coming from. I knew it had to be a factory. | "I immediately recognised where the smoke was coming from. I knew it had to be a factory. |
| "It was like a scene from a movie. There were so many large explosions and loud bangs. It was like a firework display - there were loud crackles and bangs every few seconds." | "It was like a scene from a movie. There were so many large explosions and loud bangs. It was like a firework display - there were loud crackles and bangs every few seconds." |
| No-one from Jayplas was available for immediate comment. | No-one from Jayplas was available for immediate comment. |