'Severe' fire tackled at West Bromwich factory unit

Smoke from the factory unit in Harvills Industrial Estate, in Howard Street, off Hill Top, could be seen more than three miles.

Two people were treated for burns following the fire with one taken to Sandwell Hospital for further treatment.

Quick-thinking firefighters, who were called to the scene around 7.50am, extinguished the blaze within an hour.

They stopped it from spreading to a timber merchants next door.

Eight crews attended the scene with around 40 firefighters and an investigation by fire officers revealed that it was started 'accidentally'.

Charred car parts, cars, forklifts and wooden crates were all that remained inside the unit which is still standing but in an unstable condition.

Stuart Boyes, aged 36, who lives nearby said: "I went to the shop and saw a lot of black smoke. It looked really bad.

"I came here and all I heard was big bangs, it sounded like there were bombs going off.

"There were not many people around but we were panicking. The owner of the unit was running in and out."

Bilston Station Commander Andy Rainey said: "The fire started within a one storey car breakers factory unit.

"Initially we had two crews mobilised but due to the velocity and the size of the unit, more crews were sent.

"Quick actions of the firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to nearby units including a timber merchant next door which could have been much worse.

"Within one hour the fire was brought under control."

A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: "It is believed to have been started accidentally so there are no suspicious circumstances.

A West Midlands Ambulance Services spokeswoman said: "We assessed one patient for minor burns and smoke inhalation but they did not require hospital treatment and was cleared from the scene.

"We were called back at 10.30am and sent one ambulance with a paramedic officer.

"They treated a patient who suffered with burns and they were taken to Sandwell Hospital."