Pictures show aftermath of fire at former West Bromwich social club

A fire at a former social club in West Bromwich has been extinguished after seven crews were called to tackle the blaze.

Firefighters were called to the former West Bromwich Social Club on Dudley Street, with seven crews and a hydraulic platform attending the incident.

Nearby residents had been urged to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution, while motorists and pedestrians were advised to avoid the area.

The fire was out by Sunday morning (October 18), with crews making routine return visits to check the building.

The former social club, near the Guns Village tram stop, has stood empty for years and was previously described as being in a "serious state of disrepair".

Plans were submitted in 2025 to demolish the building and replace it with a four-storey block containing 14 one and two-bedroom flats.

The application described the former working men's club as "dilapidated and untidy" and argued that it should be demolished "purely on health and safety grounds".

Documents submitted as part of the plans also revealed the building had previously suffered fire damage, with a single-storey rear extension affected by a serious blaze that had left its structure compromised.

The application also highlighted a number of other issues, including a flooded basement, broken windows, missing roof tiles and structural cracks.

It stated: "The existing building we believe should be removed on purely health and safety grounds.

"It is dilapidated and is a danger to those entering, also with a major vermin problem and the building being used for anti-social purposes, local residents are impacted in a negative way."

The cause of the latest fire has not been confirmed.