Wolverhampton factory fire: Pictures reveal devastation as demolition experts examine scene

Thousands of rolls of paper went up in flames as the inferno engulfed an area larger than a football pitch late on Wednesday evening and throughout Thursday.

The damage is believed to be so extensive the premises in Fordhouses may have to be razed to the ground.

At its height, more than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at Alliance Paper and Tissue, off Wobaston Road. The fire started just after 11.30pm on Wednesday night and crews remained at the scene last night.

Fire chiefs said they are looking into the possibility that the blaze was started deliberately as they continue to investigate the cause.

Investigators called at other businesses on the industrial estate, including UTC Aerospace Systems, asking for CCTV footage.

The warehouse, no longer operating but still used for storage, changed hands more than 18 months ago. But the premises had not been cleared and thousands of rolls of toilet paper, tissue and wallpaper were still stored on site.

New owners, Manchester-based property asset company Hollytame, were called to the scene by fire chiefs to help in the identification of a number of chemicals stored at the premises.

Hollytame's asset manager Chris Taylor said: "We found out about the fire at around 8.30am yesterday and immediately headed over there from Manchester.

"We have a record of all the substances on site and passed those records onto the fire service. "Our main priority was to make sure that we helped fire crews as much as can to put the fire out."

He confirmed that the site currently does not do any business.

Concerns about the nature of the substances delayed the firefighting operation.

Station Commander Russ Gauden, of Walsall fire station, said that after succeeding in bringing the blaze under control, their focus turned to protecting the surrounding land.

He said: "We are working with the Environment Agency, the canal trust and other partners on a plan to keep the environment safe and to protect it while we carry out our fire fighting."

He added that a specialist team had so far been able to eliminate certain chemicals but were still working on pinpointing what they were. The site had not been used for some time which hampered the initial investigations.

The owners later released a statement which read: "Representatives of Hollytame Ltd, the property owner, are assisting the fire brigade to ensure a swift resolution to the situation.

"We have provided numerous reports to the fire brigade regarding materials on site which were on site when we regained possession of the site from a previous occupier. At this stage we are unable to comment any further."

Concerned residents had kept watch at the height of the blaze as thick, black smoke was blown towards properties in Fordhouses. They were told to keep doors and windows closed while firefighters tackled the blaze.

Station commander Gauden added that nearby businesses were kept informed of developments throughout yesterday.

He said crews were working with the Environment Agency, National Grid and other utility companies to make sure that the fire was contained and did not affect operations at UTC Aerospace and other nearby firms.