One hundred firefighters tackled a huge blaze that engulfed a paint warehouse in the centre of Birmingham.

Traffic was left tailing back across the city as police closed roads and set up a 400-metre exclusion zone.

The blaze broke out in the warehouse in Cecil Street, Newtown, last night.

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Part of Newtown Row was shut along with Lancaster Circus flyover, out of the city. The Aston Expressway was also affected as smoke that could be seen for miles around drifted across the carriageways.

The area around the warehouse, called Property Link,  was still cordoned off today.

The fire, fuelled by burning wooden pallets ripped through the roof of the paint warehouse, which was empty at the time, but workers from nearby business Floors To Go had to be evacuated by police.

Residents in the surrounding area were told to keep windows closed as a plume of black smoke filled the sky, with concerns about the potential risks posed by any chemicals at the site and asbestos in the roof.

A total of 20 crews from across the West Midlands were scrambled to the scene and six crews and one hydraulic platform were still on site damping down the area today.

Watch Commander Geraint Tillott, of Highgate Fire Station, said: “We were one of the first crews there, just after 7pm and the roof was well alight.

“We got the fire under control in about an hour, but because of the way the wind was blowing we did lose part of the building, but we were able to protect the rest of the building.

“Crews are still on scene this morning.

He said investigations are still under way into the cause of the blaze.

One eyewitness said: “The smoke could be seen all over the city and you could smell it and taste it. The fire service and police were wearing masks.”

A number of roads today remain closed with diversions in place.