Blaze at suspected cannabis factory leaves Wolverhampton house ruined
Flames tore through a house during a fire at a suspected cannabis factory in Wolverhampton this morning.
Much of the roof of the house was destroyed, while a neighbouring house also suffered serious damage in the fire which broke out in the early hours.
Sixteen firefighters were needed to tackle the blaze in Bhylls Lane, Merry Hill, which is believed to have started accidentally and ripped through much of the first floor.
No one is thought to have been in the house at the time of the blaze but nearby houses were evacuated, West Midlands Fire Service said.
Smashed roof tiles were left across the driveways of both properties.
The residential road was closed both ways until 7am while emergency services dealt with the fire. One person suffered minor injuries but nobody required hospital treatment.
Forensic police officers have been examining the scene, where cannabis is believed to have been growing.
A spokesman for the fire service said: "Four fire engines, and 16 firefighters from Wolverhampton and Dudley attended the scene.
"The fire involved one semi-detached two-storey property and it spread to a neighbouring property through the roof.
"It is believed to have started accidentally.
"The roof was 100 per cent affected, 50 per cent to the first floor and there was also smoke damage to the property."
A West Midlands Police spokesman confirmed they were investigating after being called at around 2.50am and asked anybody with information to call 101 quoting log number 191 of October 8.
Nobody has been arrested.
West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Murray McGregor added: "We were called at 2.48am to reports of a fire. An ambulance, paramedic officer, and hazardous area response team were sent to the scene.
"It was a fire in a house. We treated one person, believed to be a man, for a minor hand injury but he was not taken to hospital."
