Fire causes Dudley shopping precinct evacuation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia0loLti5rM

A severe blaze tore through a shop in Dudley town centre forcing an entire shopping precinct to be evacuated and neighbouring streets to be closed off.

Flames shot through the roof of the Game Station store, at the Churchill Shopping Precinct today and thick black smoke billowed into the air pouring into the shopping arcade.

A total of 13 fire crews from across the West Midlands battled the blaze at its height as high powered water jets were used to bring the fire under control.

Crews were first called at around 2.45pm.

No-one is believed to have been hurt in the fire, according to police and fire officials.

Firefighters with breathing equipment and thermal imaging cameras were posted in the neighbouring Card Factory and Teddy Grays sweet shop to ensure the flames did not spread to those shops as well.

The fire is believed to have started in a store room at the Game Station store but the cause is still being investigated by fire officers.

It quickly spread to the roof of the building causing severe damage to the store.

All of the shops in the Churchill Precinct were evacuated as smoke billowed into the centre. Staff waited anxiously outside to see if they would be allowed to return to their shops before the end of the day's trading.

But the blaze was still being tackled at 6.30pm.

Nearby New Street and Castle Street were closed off to traffic as fire engines parked up along the carriageway to help tackle the blaze.