Firefighters tackle huge blaze as car business destroyed by fire
A car business in Lye has been completely destroyed by a huge fire, which left two people injured.
Hayes Car Centre, on The Hayes, was gutted by the blaze tonight, while 11 cars inside were also wrecked.
Two people had to be treated by paramedics, with one man who was working inside the building suffering burns to his forehead, and another suffering from smoke inhalation.
Witnesses reported hearing several loud bangs, which are believed to have been the fuel tanks of the cars exploding. After the fire had been extinguished all that remained of the building were its brick walls and a skeleton of its roof.
Reader Richard Silva sent us this video of the blaze
Although the exact cause of the fire, which started just after 5pm, is not yet known, witnesses have said they believe it was started by an electric drill which set a fuel tank alight.
Firefighters have confirmed that the cause is thought to be accidental. At its height, five fire engines were on the scene.
Dudley station commander Steve Lees, who was in charge of the response to the incident, said: "Due to the severity of the fire we quickly surrounded the building. It was already well developed by the time we arrived.
"There is 100 per cent damage to the inside of the building, and all 11 cars inside are destroyed.
"We believe the cause was accidental.
"Two people had to be treated at the scene, but everyone was out of the building by the time we got there."
The busy road, the main A458 which runs between Stourbridge and Halesowen, had to be closed for several hours while firefighters tackled the blaze.
Fire crews from both Stourbridge and Haden Cross tweeted images of the blaze from the scene:
