Cannabis factory found as fire guts Indian restaurant in Dudley

About 25 firefighters were called to the blaze at The Rickshaw Indian Cuisine in Porters Field in Dudley which was first spotted at 1.30am.

Following hours of tackling the flames inside the restaurant, crews discovered about 20 cannabis plants growing inside a loft above the venue's entrance at 5am.

The fire was finally put out at 6.20am. It has destroyed 90 per cent of the interior of the restaurant, although the building structure still stands.

Crews from Wolverhampton, Brierley Hill, Stourbridge and Dudley were called to the fire.

Ivan Lilley, watch commander at Wolverhampton Fire Station, said: "The fire exposed holes in the ceiling where we could see something in a room upstairs - we then found a hatch to a loft where inside there was a tent with about 20 pots inside.

"It wasn't a big factory, but it was clear the plants were being produced inside.

"It was one area of the restaurant which was not impacted by the fire."

Firefighters took to Twitter to update followers on their work:

Billy Corrigan, spokesman for West Midlands Police, said: "At 5.18am the fire service requested our attendance after they found a cannabis factory.

"We have attended and our cannabis disposal team has been notified - they will attend once the area is safe to go inside."

Calls operator Robert Catalano, who works at nearby Five Star Taxis, was in the taxi office on his nightshirt when passers by ran into get him to call 999 after they saw the flames.

The 38-year-old said: "I jumped over the desk and ran outside. The smoke was blowing in the other direction but you could tell that a fire had started.

"We had to leave the taxi office. You could see the flames coming out of the top.

"It was unbelievable as there were about five fire engines down here at one point.

"We were told to get back. We couldn't get in the office to take calls for around three hours.

"The restaurant had been doing so well, it is such a shame. I'm not sure what happened. It looked like the smoke was coming from the kitchen."

Brierley Hill watch commander Pete Walters said: "When we got to the restaurant it was well alight inside and we, at first, struggled to tackle the fire.

"We attempted from above, but the roof was still intact so crews had to slowly advance through the entrances to the site.

"Once we got inside we were able to target the pockets of fire until it was put out."

He added: "The fire has completely gutted the restaurant.

"The structure is still there, but inside everything has pretty much gone."