Fires rip through 50 cars and derelict school
Dozens of cars were destroyed in a suspected arson attack at a scrapyard in Wolverhampton.
Hickman Avenue in Eastfield remained closed this morning after two fires were started at Woodsetton Car Spares at around 12.50am.
Around 50 vehicles were engulfed by the flames, costing the scrapyard owners around £25,000.
Fifty firefighters from across the Black Country and Birmingham were sent to the blaze, with 10 engines and an aerial platform at the scene during the peak of the fire.
Nobody was injured and a dog that was inside the site at the time of the fire escaped unharmed.
Dave Bromley, station commander at Ward End fire station, said: "We believe it's arson – two sets of fires which we've handed over to the police.
"We're going to be here for another couple of hours.
"At the height of the blaze we had 50 firefighters here with 10 pumps and a hydraulic platform.
"We had fire engines from across all over – Sheldon, Ward End, Northfield and all over the Black Country.
"We've plans in place to move fire engines across when it's a large fire."
At 9am two fire engines remained damping down at the scrapyard, with smoke still rising from the rows of burnt-out cars and vans.
Reporter Thomas Parkes was at the scene this morning:
The remnants of the vehicles were lifted by a crane and sprayed with water this morning to ensure the site was safe.
A spokesman for Woodsetton Car Spares said: "I'm just glad the dog was alright. You can build up the business again.
"The dog was inside in the kennel when the first started but he's alright.
"We've lost about £25,000 but that's life.
"We've been here for about five years. It's life – we've got to keep going and keep plodding on.
"We've just put it down as a loss."
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police added: "It's fire-led at the moment. We're supporting in case it does turn out to be arson."
Derelict school
Meanwhile more than 30 firefighters were called to tackle a fire at a derelict school in Wednesbury.
The former Manor High School, in Friar Park Road, was attended by six fire engines.
The school has been abandoned since it closed in 2012 after Manor High merged with the Menzies High School to create The Phoenix Collegiate.
Six engines from across the Black Country attended the fire, using hose-reel jets and a hydraulic platform.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service said: "We got the call at 11.15pm on Wednesday.
"It was a 999 call to reports of a fire in a derelict school.
"We had six fire engines, approximately 30 firefighters at the height of the blaze.
"We had a number of hose-reel jets on the blaze and a hydraulic platform to get above the fire.
"By 2.29pm the incident was being scaled down."
Investigations are ongoing.
The school buildings are expected to be demolished to make way for housing.
