Fire closes Smethwick High Street

Smethwick's busy High Street was closed today after flames broke out at a landmark pub.

A blaze broke out in the Red Fort pub, forcing police to close the High Street from its junction with Stoney Lane to where the High Street becomes St Paul's Road, and is joined by Dibble Road.

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Around 15 firefighters were called to the scene at 6am, breaking a first floor window and the front door to battle the blaze. No one was inside the building when the fire began.

Investigations are continuing to establish the cause of the blaze.

Bera Mahli(CORR), who has owned the pub for the past 12 years, surveyed the scene this morning alongside two of his six employees.

He said: "I can't believe it. We had a call at 6am to say there had been a fire and we're now looking at this.

"We don't know what caused it yet, and it's too early to know how much the damage will cost to fix."

Sarah Warnes, a Sandwell operations commander for the fire service, said: "This was an intense fire on the second floor. It could easily have spread to the rest of the second floor but was contained early.

"We don't know the cause of it yet."

Buses were diverted because of the police road closure this morning including the number 80 from Birmingham to West Bromwich, the number 87 from Birmingham to Dudley, and the 89 from Birmingham to Oldbury.

The High Street was reopened by 8am.