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| Smethwick fire: Suppliers asked to stop lanterns sale | Smethwick fire: Suppliers asked to stop lanterns sale |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Suppliers of Chinese lanterns near to the site of a large fire involving 100,000 tonnes of plastic material are to be asked to withdraw them from sale. | Suppliers of Chinese lanterns near to the site of a large fire involving 100,000 tonnes of plastic material are to be asked to withdraw them from sale. |
| A lantern caused the fire that took hold at a West Midlands recycling plant on Sunday night. | A lantern caused the fire that took hold at a West Midlands recycling plant on Sunday night. |
| About 15 firefighters remain at the Jayplas depot in Smethwick. | About 15 firefighters remain at the Jayplas depot in Smethwick. |
| The government rejected the idea of a ban but the leader of Sandwell Council wants trading standards to intervene and ask for their voluntary removal. | The government rejected the idea of a ban but the leader of Sandwell Council wants trading standards to intervene and ask for their voluntary removal. |
| Councillor Darren Cooper is the latest supporter of a ban after the MP for Warley, John Spellar, was among those to voice concerns on Tuesday. | Councillor Darren Cooper is the latest supporter of a ban after the MP for Warley, John Spellar, was among those to voice concerns on Tuesday. |
| Mr Cooper, the head of the labour-run authority, said: "They may look very pretty when in the air, but this massive fire has shown just what damage they can cause. | Mr Cooper, the head of the labour-run authority, said: "They may look very pretty when in the air, but this massive fire has shown just what damage they can cause. |
| "We will also be asking our trading standards officers to check local suppliers and sellers of Chinese lanterns asking them to withdraw them from sale." | "We will also be asking our trading standards officers to check local suppliers and sellers of Chinese lanterns asking them to withdraw them from sale." |
| Hot spots | Hot spots |
| A Devon superstore has already withdrawn the lanterns from sale in response to the fire. | |
| A spokeswoman for Chaplins, which has stores in Plymouth and Taunton, hoped other retailers would follow suit. | |
| The government previously said the number of fires caused by lanterns was "very small" and there "needed to be a proportionate response". | The government previously said the number of fires caused by lanterns was "very small" and there "needed to be a proportionate response". |
| West Midlands Fire Service said those still at the fire were keeping watch for any hot spots. | West Midlands Fire Service said those still at the fire were keeping watch for any hot spots. |
| At its height more than 200 firefighters attended the blaze, which began at about 23:00 BST on Sunday and caused £6m worth of damage. | At its height more than 200 firefighters attended the blaze, which began at about 23:00 BST on Sunday and caused £6m worth of damage. |
| Twelve firefighters were treated for injuries, three of whom were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. | Twelve firefighters were treated for injuries, three of whom were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. |
| The blaze, which covered an area of about 90,000 sq m, was described by the fire service as one of the biggest it had dealt with in the West Midlands. | The blaze, which covered an area of about 90,000 sq m, was described by the fire service as one of the biggest it had dealt with in the West Midlands. |
| It said it was the 15th fire at similar sites it had dealt with in the past year. | It said it was the 15th fire at similar sites it had dealt with in the past year. |
| West Midlands Police said roads around the fire had re-opened although part of Brasshouse Lane remained blocked. | West Midlands Police said roads around the fire had re-opened although part of Brasshouse Lane remained blocked. |