Firefighers battle 'well ablaze' car near town centre

Images and video has been shared with the Express & Star showing a morning blaze that destroyed one car on Bull Street, near West Bromwich town centre. 

The fire was first reported to West Midlands Fire Service at 9.30am on Tuesday, with the fire service saying it was started 'accidentally' and caused severe damage to the engine compartment of the Mercedes vehicle. 

A fire engine from Smethwick was dispatched to the scene, where firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hole reel to extinguish the flames. 

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said: "Shortly before 9.30am on Wednesday (January 8), we responded to Bull Street, West Bromwich. A fire engine from Smethwick attended, arriving to find a car well alight on the road.

"The fire, that started accidentally, caused severe damage to the engine compartment. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel to extinguish the fire and checked for hotspots using a thermal imaging camera."

In a video, shared with the Express & Star, fire service personnel could be seen dousing the fire with the hose reel, with smoke being seen rising well above the roofs of the nearby buildings. 

The fire was extinguished at around 10.49am, with West Midlands Fire Service saying that the scene was handed over to police. 

The spokesperson continued: "We handed the scene over to police colleagues, who were due to arrange recovery of the vehicle. 

"Firefighters left the scene at 10.49am."

Terrance Richarson, 57, of Overend Street, said he could see the smoke from his home nearby. 

He said: "I was travelling to work and I could see it over the roofs. 

"I'm glad no one was hurt. You could feel the flames when you walked past it. The fire service did a great job."