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'Severe' fire at Birmingham city centre cafe | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A fire has ripped through a cafe near Birmingham city centre. | |
West Midlands Fire Service said five engines were called to the "severe" blaze at the former Birmingham Dog's Home building in New Canal Street at 06:40 BST. | |
A spokesperson from the service said 25 firefighters were at the building and that no-one had been injured. | |
New Canal Street has been closed between the Fazeley Street and Bordesley Street. | |
'Loud explosion' | 'Loud explosion' |
Alan Poole works at Central Flowers, which is opposite the cafe. | Alan Poole works at Central Flowers, which is opposite the cafe. |
He said staff at the business had now returned to the building after having been evacuated. | He said staff at the business had now returned to the building after having been evacuated. |
"We saw a few flames rising from the building," he said. "Luckily it did not spread over to us but, for a while, it looked as if it would." | "We saw a few flames rising from the building," he said. "Luckily it did not spread over to us but, for a while, it looked as if it would." |
Paul Burnham, 47, said he was taking his car to a garage when he noticed the street had been cordoned off. | |
"It looked like a bomb had hit it," he said. | |
The roads around the scene of the fire, which is to the east of the city centre, are likely to be affected for some time, the service said. | |
Station commander Steve Harris said they were working with the cafe's owner to establish how the fire started but that "100% of the building" was affected. | Station commander Steve Harris said they were working with the cafe's owner to establish how the fire started but that "100% of the building" was affected. |
Earlier the fire service tweeted that a loud explosion had been heard but said the blaze was "beginning to die down". |