Empty warehouse shell shows devastation caused by Smethwick fire

It is a scene of complete destruction and one that is heart-breaking for the people whose businesses went up in flames.

TV Trade Warehouse manager Kulwinder Hayre lost his company's warehouse.

"It is absolutely devastating," he said. "I got the call at around 3.30 on the morning it went up and the fire brigade were already there when I got there. Once it had gone up there was no stopping it."

Mr Hayre said the premises served as the wholesale side of his company.

"We still have the retail store but all of our stock was there and now it is gone. I'd say all in all it has cost us £250,000 if you factor in all the stock and premises, as well as the loss of earnings.

"They are still tearing it down now. Now it will just be a matter of following the insurance process, finding out who is to blame and then rebuilding."

More than 75 firefighters tackled the fire, which broke out at around 3am on Wednesday.

It is believed six units were wrecked in total containing clothes, electrical goods, and stationery supplies. No one was hurt.

Firefighters battled the flames and managed to bring the blaze under control within a few hours. However, the site had to be damped down for several days afterwards as areas continued to smoulder and pockets of flames were found in sheltered spots.

Watch Commander Lee Sketchley from Smethwick Fire Station said today: "Demolition crews are now on site and are working with an appliance on stand-by to tear down the wrecked buildings.

"We are remaining on site as a precaution to damp down hotspots that remain in the rubble as is very common with these sorts of fires, as there were a lot of materials which burn easily.

"We will most likely remain on site for several more days."

Investigators are working to find out what caused the flames but the answer will be of little relief to those caught up in the devastation.

At its peak, smoke could be seen from as far as 10 miles away.

There were 10 engines, three hydraulic platforms and a high-volume pump called in, along with police and ambulance crews.

Firefighters had been able to save a number of vehicles from the industrial park including forklift trucks and a tanker which contained 4,500 litres of diesel.

They also saved a puppy from one of the units they had been protecting in case the fire spread to other parts of the Middlemore Industrial Estate.