Rising Sun fire: Flames rip through Brownhills pub - WATCH
Fire crews tackled a 'severe' blaze at a disused pub site - with a nearby road closed due to smoke coming from the scene.
Crews batted to get a fire at the Rising Sun, on the A5 Chester Road, in Brownhills, under control after being called at 3.30pm.
Three fire engines attended as a blaze broke out on the first floor of the former pub site.
Despite its seriousness, crews were only able to tackle it from the outside due to the unsafe nature of the building, a West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said.
The surrounding area was closed off due to the volume of smoke coming from the blaze, which the spokesperson described as 'severe'.
Motorists were hit with delays of up to 20 minutes as the battled to bring the blaze under control.
The road was closed between Rising Sun and Turf Island in both directions.
The Burntwood and Cannock Chase Community First Responders took to Facebook live to share pictures from the scene, as well as a live video that showed firefighters using hose reels to tackle the blaze from the outside.
The video showed plumes of smoking coming from the top of the building.
No explanation has been given yet as to the cause of the fire.
Since closing in 2008, the Rising Sun has been subject to numerous cases of vandalism.
Metal thieves have repeatedly targeted the building, the biggest raid happening in April when a £2,500 trail of damage was left behind.
Before its closure, The Rising Sun was one of the longest-established pubs in the West Midlands and it is believed there has been a pub at the site since 1769.
The building was owned by Marston’s and was sold in 2009 to Eastern Leisure Ltd but a mooted makeover failed to materialise.
Arsonists targeted the pub in 2011, narrowly avoiding destroying it completely after breaking in through the roof of the once thriving pub.
