Two arrested in connection with fire
Staffordshire Police have arrested a man and a woman in connection with the Goldenhill fire in Stoke-on-Trent. A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, from Stoke-on-Trent, have both been arrested on suspicion of arson.
The force said: “We have arrested a man and woman today (Friday 14 August) as we continue to work alongside our fire colleagues at a large fire in Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent.
“Shortly before 4.15pm yesterday, we received a call from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service who were responding to a grass fire at the back of Maureen Avenue, which was spreading quickly.
“Four homes were affected, alongside a number of gardens. Fire crews have now brought the incident under control.
“We’ve progressed enquiries at pace overnight and have arrested two people in connection with the fire this morning.
“A 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, from Stoke-on-Trent, have both been arrested on suspicion of arson.”
‘The fire started mere feet from my house’
A Stoke-on-Trent resident said she “couldn’t believe” what was happening as a fire started feet away from her home on Thursday. The woman, who lives on Wignall Road, visited the Goldenhill community centre for support on Friday afternoon.
She said friends living in nearby roads have lost their homes due to the fire. She said: “I feel so sorry for them… it started nine feet away from my house. I can’t believe it. I could see smoke when I let the dog out and I didn’t know what the hell had happened.
“I’ve got a gas barbecue with gas bottles in the shed – all I could think about was that. My friends, two of their houses have gone. It’s completely gone. I’m so sorry for them.”
Stoke-on-Trent fire has been ‘devastating’
A huge fire in Stoke-on-Trent has been “devastating” for the community, a director at a community centre that cared for evacuated families has said.
Goldenhill community centre opened its doors to those who needed help after staff learned of the nearby fire at around 5pm on Thursday and offered soft drinks and snacks.
Nicola Beresford, a director at the Just Family CIC, based at the centre in Drummond Street, told the Press Association: “It has been horrendous, devastating for the local community.
“There was so much uncertainty last night, some people really didn’t know if they were going to have a home to go back to.
“It was a place for the police, the fire brigade, the local council to come and really start ascertaining people’s needs.
“What is phenomenal is the community spirit and that’s something that is really unique to this area. I feel that we’re really lucky to have that.”
Homes were evacuated in Stoke-on-Trent. (Image: Getty)
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Update from ambulance service
Anthony Marsh, chief executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “Yesterday was an extremely busy day for our crews, responding to a number of serious fires across the region.
“I want to thank all of our staff for their professionalism and hard work, as well as our colleagues in the fire and police services for the way everyone worked together to help keep people safe.
“With the hot and dry weather we have encountered, we would ask everyone to take extra care and think about the risks before lighting fires or undertaking activities that could cause them.”
Roads remain closed in Stoke-on-Trent
Roads remain closed in the Goldenhill area of Stoke-on-Trent as firefighters work at the scene of a large fire that saw some residents evacuated.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue said crews managed to contain the fire, which started on Thursday afternoon and affected a “small number” of homes and gardens, by around 9pm that night.
Several residents who were evacuated from their homes on Maureen Avenue and Sandy Road were supported overnight by the Goldenhill community centre.
Both roads remain closed as the fire service and Staffordshire Police investigate the cause of the fire.
In a statement, the fire service said: “We appreciate your understanding as we do all we can to minimise disruption to the local community as much as possible.
“Residents who remain in their properties should continue to keep their windows and doors shut as a precaution.”
There has been another fire in Stoke-on-Trent. (Image: Getty)
Man loses 100 years of family photos
A man whose mother’s home burnt down in a fire in Highters Heath, Birmingham, said she has lost everything, including 100 years’ worth of family photos.
Andrew Reynolds, 42, said he watched his childhood home, along with other terraced houses on Gorleston Road, go up in flames on Thursday evening, which has left his mother, Kim Matthews, a “wreck”.
Mr Reynolds told the Press Association: “My mum’s lost everything. Absolutely everything. There’s nothing saveable.”
He described the scene on Thursday night as an “inferno” that had left the house, which his mother has lived in for 34 years, destroyed.
He said: “Everyone’s gutted, grieving, people have lost so much and no-one can go in to see if they can salvage anything.”
Mr Reynolds said his grandmother’s possessions were in the loft and were lost in the fire. He said: “It’s all gone, including 100 years’ worth of photos from the family.”
54 people treated by paramedics
A total of 54 patients have been treated by paramedics – including 19 who were taken to hospital – as a result of wildfires in the West Midlands, the region’s ambulance service said.
Nineteen people have been hospitalised. (Image: Getty)
Firefighters hospitalised in Staffordshire
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says six firefighters have been hospitalised after attending a blaze in Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent. They suffered smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, and one remains in hospital as of Friday morning.
Up to 300 people evacuated
Dudley Council, which covers Stourbridge, said 250 to 300 people have been evacuated, including three care homes.
Hundreds of people were evacuated. (Image: Getty)
’20 to 30 homes completely destroyed’
Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles said about “20 to 30 homes have been completely destroyed” in the fire, though the figure has not been confirmed.
She said she heard that figure while helping out at Stourbridge Town Hall, adding: “There were hundreds of people evacuated and there were many homes affected by the smoke not just the ones directly impacted by fire.
“Yesterday, I was at the Town Hall, which is being used a rest centre and evacuation centre and I spoke to so many people who have lost everything.
“You just don’t have the words to know what to say to them other than to try and support them the best you can. It’s really hard to find the words other than to say it’s absolutely devastating, shocking and really upsetting.
“What I would say is how amazing it has been to see our community come together and the amazing work that the emergency services has done yesterday and last night to keep people safe.”
Watch: Aerial footage shows devastation
New drone footage from the scene shows homes burnt out in the aftermath of the fire.
‘Situation has vastly improved’
Assistant chief fire officer Richard Stanton said: “We know a number of families have seen their homes destroyed or seriously damaged and our thoughts are with everyone that has been affected by this incident.
“Our crews have been working incredibly hard overnight and into this morning to get things under control and the situation is vastly improved from yesterday afternoon, but we’ll have resources at the scene for some time yet.”
Several areas at risk of reigniting
West Midlands Fire Service assistant chief fire officer Richard Stanton said 14 fire engines are still working to tackle the blaze across multiple areas at risk of reigniting.
He urged locals to stay away from the affected areas while operations continue amid the ongoing threat of flare-ups.
Some areas are at risk of reigniting. (Image: Getty)
Train travel safe in hot weather
A train boss has said that the railway is safe in hot weather amid the current heatwave. John Whitehurst, chief executive of Greater Thameslink Railway, said derailments are “incredibly rare” after the incident in Lewes on Thursday.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “A full investigation is now under way with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and at this stage we’re working with them to ensure we can establish the cause but also support their investigation fully.
“Obviously, the railway through that area is closed and we have specialist teams on site assessing the train and the infrastructure. I’m really sorry for the disruption that’s caused.”
Asked if the railway was safe in hot weather, Mr Whitehurst said: “The railway is safe. These types of incidents are incredibly rare. We have control processes in place that involve inspection, temporary speed restrictions or even suspending services if that’s required.”
‘We had to run – it was like a war film’
Tom Barnett, head green keeper at Stourbridge Golf Course, told The Mirror: “We had to run for it at one point. It was like a war film with ash and smoke and the intense heat. The speed of the flames were like a tidal wave.”
The fire has been described as like something out of a war film. (Image: Getty)
‘My shed and garden are completely gone’
Chris Murchison said his home was affected by the fire on Sandy Road, in Stoke-on-Trent. He told BBC Radio Stoke he was in nearby Kidsgrove when he found out about the fire and saw the smoke as he returned home.
He said his house was okay, but his shed and garden are “completely gone”. He added: “The back of my garden has all caught fire. There is a park behind it, I think that’s where it’s started.
“All my neighbours – all their gardens have been completely burnt down. I’ve never seen anything like it, neighbours were just distressed… You’re thankful that your house is okay, but it’s just a bit of a shock, really.”
‘It was like Armageddon!’
Simon Markey, 60, the chairman of Stourbridge Golf Course, raised the alarm about the fire. He told the Mirror: “I’ve just found out my home is okay. The fire stopped 50 yards from my garden. It was horrific.”
Describing the fire, he said: “It was like Armageddon! I was playing golf and the fire appeared to start in the field opposite but the wind was blowing hard towards the golf course. I called the office at 1.30pm to report it.
“Within ten minutes, the flames had taken some of the bottom of the golf course. We had to evacuate about 30 to 40 players. The fire then changed direction. It was horrific; the flames were 60 to 70 feet high.
“We went down to try and get some equipment out of the way, but it was too dangerous. You could feel the heat, but it was the smoke which was the big issue. The embers were coming down and setting things off. It was Armageddon!”
A local has described the terrifying scenes. (Image: Getty)
Insurers helping to rehouse customers
Insurer Aviva said the group has been helping customers whose homes have been destroyed in the wildfires across the West Midlands.
The group’s chief executive, Dame Amanda Blanc, confirmed the firm has been working overnight to help and rehouse two customers whose properties in Stourbridge were destroyed by the huge blazes ripping through the area.
Dame Amanda said: “It must be horrendous for customers who have had their homes destroyed by the fires.” She said the group’s immediate priority has been to help find alternative accommodation for those affected. “Our thoughts are always with impacted customers,” she added.
Evacuated local describes ‘choking smell in the air’
A woman who was evacuated from her home in Stourbridge said she could “see the flames from our bedroom window”.
Jane Baxter told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme that “the smell is horrendous at the moment, it’s really a choking smell in the air”.
Ms Baxter, whose house backs directly onto the golf course where some of the worst damage was seen, said: “The police knocked [on] our door and said that everyone had to be evacuated quickly because they thought the fire was changing directions, and they didn’t know which direction it was going in.
“So, it was literally grab what you need and get out. And within about four or five minutes, the police knocked the door again and said: ‘You really have got to get out now’.
“So, get out we did with the cat and away to go to our son’s house.” Ms Baxter added: “Just literally 200 yards away from us, we could see the flames from our bedroom window.
“They were well above the rooftops of all the houses that had been evacuated, so you could just see the extent of it. It was spreading so fast and going in quite a few different directions across the fields.”
People have been evacuated. (Image: Getty)
11 major incidents in 24 hours
The chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council said the fire service is “under significant pressure” with 11 major incidents declared across the UK.
Phil Garrigan told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “It’s not just the Stourbridge incident that we’ve dealt with over the last 24 hours.
“We’ve had 11 major incidents declared across the UK – Stourbridge particularly, but Sandwell, Pershore, Stoke-on-Trent. We’ve got incidents still raging in Hampshire, in South Wales.
“It’s been a particularly difficult, busy period for the fire and rescue service, where we’ve been under significant pressure.
“Firefighters have been on the front line of climate change for a number of years. They’re doing their absolute best to protect communities and properties.”
Fires rage across the region
In neighbouring Worcestershire, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said a number of homes had been damaged and 30 properties were evacuated in Pershore following a large fire on Lancelott Court.
The fire service said one person was treated for smoke inhalation following the incident at about 4.30pm, and about 200 homes in the area were left without power.
In Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, another blaze hit “a small number of properties and gardens” in the Goldenhill area of the city.
In Warwickshire, the county’s fire and rescue service said it was responding to a “large fire” in Salford Priors, Stratford-upon-Avon, which has been declared a major incident.
Elsewhere in the region, smoke from nearby wildfires forced the closure of the M6 northbound between junctions five and six – causing more than two hours of delays.
Fires have been reported across neighbouring counties. (Image: Getty)
Disruption to West Midlands water supply
Severn Trent Water warned of disruption to the water supply across the West Midlands as a result of the wildfires.
The company said customers in Kidsgrove, near Stoke-on-Trent, may experience lower pressure and discoloured water because firefighters needed to use hydrants.
Fire comes on hottest day of the year
The Met Office said 38.1C was recorded at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday – the second time this year the country has seen temperatures reach 38C.
Temperatures are set to cool slightly on Friday, with highs of 34C expected in the South-east. But little rain is forecast for the Midlands and many parts of the country over the weekend.
The West Midlands was subject to an amber warning for extreme heat for much of Thursday before multiple fires were reported, which was set to expire just before midnight.
Yesterday was the hottest day of the year. (Image: Getty)
Government ‘working closely’ with fire service
Angela Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “We are working closely with the local Fire and Rescue Service and partners on the ground in Stourbridge and are being regularly updated.
“I would like to thank the brave emergency services, and my thoughts are with people who have been forced to leave their homes.”
Trains to be disrupted today
West Midlands Railway said some of its services will be disrupted until the end of the day due to a fire affecting a property between Stourbridge Junction and Worcester Shrub Hill.
Fewer trains are therefore able to run on all lines, with services either cancelled or delayed. Those who have already bought their tickets can use them on rail replacement buses between the two stations.
WMR said there would be disruption all day. (Image: Getty)
Residents urged stay away ‘for some time’
West Midlands Fire Service have asked people in the affected areas to stay away from the scene. “This request is likely to be in place for some time”, they added.
Update from fire service as locals told ‘stay away’
West Midlands Fire Service have given an update this morning at 6.15am as families wait to hear if their homes survived.
They said: “Crews are continuing to work across several areas, including Racecourse Lane, Norton Road, Ounty John Lane, Quarry Park, Brunswick Gate, Melrose Drive and Worcester Lane, monitoring and damping down hotspots.
“Several exclusion zones remain in place around Quarry Park and Brunswick Gate because a number of buildings have been deemed structurally unsafe. Several areas have also been isolated by Cadent. There are still pockets of smoke emerging across the affected site, which crews are dealing with as they arise.
“If you feel there is a need to call 999, please do so. We continue to ask people to stay away from the scene. This request is likely to remain in place for some time. If you are affected by smoke, please close your windows and doors.
“Finally, we want to thank everyone who has supported our response so far. We have been truly taken aback by the kindness and support shown by the Stourbridge community and our emergency service colleagues and other partners.”
Residents have been told to stay away. (Image: Getty)
Where have firefighters been deployed?
Racecourse Lane – using main jets to monitor and deal with hot spots
Norton Road – monitoring hotspots and extinguishing them as necessary
Ounty John Lane – damping down hot spots
Quarry Park and Brunswick Gate – several exclusion zones in place due to several buildings being “structurally unsafe”
Melrose Drive and Worcester Lane – damping down hot spots
‘Progress being made’
West Midlands Fire Service said “progress [is] being made at the scene” as it’s “tactically working” across multiple sites of the fire.
Fire crews continue to tackle the blaze. (Image: Getty)