Watch flames leap out of former cinema and bingo hall in dramatic fire that filled town with smoke
Flames leapt out of a disused cinema and bingo hall on Sunday, shutting nearby roads and leading to the early closure of a nearby retail park.
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Dramatic video and photos from the scene show smoke billowing from the The Victoria Suite as firefighters on an aerial platform took water from a nearby canal to douse the flames.
More than 50 firefighters were called to Windmill Lane, Smethwick, at 1.34pm on Sunday after witnesses reported smoke coming from the four-storey Art Deco building.
Road closures were put in place as the 12 fire crews worked through the afternoon and into the night to tackle the blaze.
In a statement, the fire service said: "A total of 12 fire crews are currently in attendance at this incident, which involves a fire in a commercial property, formally a cinema complex. A hydraulic aerial platform is also at the scene.
"There is severe smoke logging to the premises and crews are working to locate and tackle the fire."
West Midlands Police closed several roads to traffic, including Windmill Lane, Cranford Street, London Street and Grove Lane, while the adjacent Windmill Shopping Park/Centre was closed early on Sunday due to smoke in the area.
The fire service later confirmed the flames broke through the roof of the building, with firefighters taking water from the Cape Arm of the Birmingham Canal.
An update said: "Due to the poor structural integrity of the building, a structural engineer has been requested to attend the scene."
A later statement added: "A structural engineer has been in attendance to assess the property. We are working with their advice to ensure the safety of our crews and surrounding properties.
"Thanks to effective efforts from firefighters at the scene, buildings and retail units near the affected premises are no longer at risk from fire."
Shortly after midnight, it was confirmed that crews remained at the scene to extinguish the fire as access to nearby homes was restored.
By 7.30am the fire service had scaled its presence down to just two crews as they damp down hotspots, a challenge made harder due to the collapse of the roof.
A further update soon after 10am added: "Our crews will remain on scene throughout the day. The re-opening of shops and roads has begun, however intermittent temporary closures may be needed for safety reasons. Please observe any signage or guidance given by those working at the scene to help keep everyone safe."
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "Windmill Lane will remain closed for the rest of the day though business premises are now accessible. The cause of the fire is being investigated by West Midlands Fire Service."
