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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| 'Severe' fire at Birmingham city centre cafe | 'Severe' fire at Birmingham city centre cafe |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A fire has ripped through a cafe near Birmingham city centre. | 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 Dogs 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. | 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 Fazeley Street and Bordesley Street. | |
| 'Loud explosion' | 'Loud explosion' |
| Simon Price, the general manager of Birmingham Dogs Home, which is now based elsewhere in Digbeth, said the organisation left the building in 1987. | |
| He said: "It's such a shame to see the building in such a state today. | |
| "I believe it's a listed building. Either way, it's a part of Birmingham's history and it's a real shame to see it in such a sorry state." | |
| 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. | 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. | "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. | 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". | Earlier the fire service tweeted that a loud explosion had been heard but said the blaze was "beginning to die down". |