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| Nine firefighters injured tackling 'largest ever' blaze in West Midlands | Nine firefighters injured tackling 'largest ever' blaze in West Midlands |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A huge fire in the West Midlands – which has resulted in nine firefighters being treated for injuries and a smoke plume reaching 6,000 feet – was caused by a Chinese lantern, the fire service said. | |
| Three of those hurt have been taken to hospital as a precaution as more than 200 firefighters tackle the blaze involving 50,000 tonnes of paper and plastic at a recycling plant in Smethwick. | |
| Air travel over an area around Birmingham might be affected by the plume according to West Midlands fire service, which has warned the incident could last several days. | |
| People living near the J & A Young plant have been warned to keep their windows shut, and a local primary school will not open on Monday. Motorists were told not to use junction 1 of the M5. | People living near the J & A Young plant have been warned to keep their windows shut, and a local primary school will not open on Monday. Motorists were told not to use junction 1 of the M5. |
| More than 200 firefighters, 35 fire appliances and three hydraulic platforms as well as two special high pumping units to help water supplies are engaged in trying to control the fire. | More than 200 firefighters, 35 fire appliances and three hydraulic platforms as well as two special high pumping units to help water supplies are engaged in trying to control the fire. |
| Area commander Steve Vincent told the BBC that emergency services were called at about 11pm on Sunday. "We haven't evacuated any of the local residents because this is mainly an industrial area but we have had some minor injuries to some of our firefighters at the scene. | Area commander Steve Vincent told the BBC that emergency services were called at about 11pm on Sunday. "We haven't evacuated any of the local residents because this is mainly an industrial area but we have had some minor injuries to some of our firefighters at the scene. |
| "We're working with other emergency services and they're all safely being treated. | "We're working with other emergency services and they're all safely being treated. |
| "We will have major congestion in this area because we will be fighting this fire for the next few days. This is the largest fire that we've had in the West Midlands. It is a major fire and we've got support from surrounding fire brigades to help us deal with this." | "We will have major congestion in this area because we will be fighting this fire for the next few days. This is the largest fire that we've had in the West Midlands. It is a major fire and we've got support from surrounding fire brigades to help us deal with this." |
| Eye-witness Jack Awal told the BBC he could see the fire from his home two miles away in Handsworth. | |
| "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. | |
| "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." | |
| Despite the warnings, Birmingham airport said flights had not been affected so far. | Despite the warnings, Birmingham airport said flights had not been affected so far. |