Fire chiefs have so far found no evidence that A level celebrations might have triggered one or more of the major wildfires and garden blazes that have devastated parts of the West Midlands, but they say nothing has been ruled out.
Blazes broke out across Birmingham and the Black Country, with Stourbridge, Castle Vale and Druids Heath in Birmingham taking the brunt. Firefighters are continuing to battle the huge blaze in Stourbridge, which has now been declared a major incident, centred around Norton Road. At least 10 people have been injured, including a child and firefighters.
Major Incident Declared in Stourbridge
Chief fire officer Simon Tuhill declared a major incident in Stourbridge amid conditions he described as 'among the most challenging' he had encountered in 28 years. The scorching heat from one of the hottest days on record, combined with desperately dry conditions in parks and gardens, turned the region into a tinderbox.
Firework embers, discarded barbecues, dropped cigarettes and deliberate arson are all being probed as potential causes. Mr Tuhill said of the events of yesterday: "This has been one of the most significant incidents that West Midlands Fire Service has ever attended. The devastation is extensive. We understand the impact that will have on the residents and the local community. We want to reassure everyone we will do everything we can to minimise that impact and, of course, get people back into their homes. However, it is the case that emergency service presence here will likely run into days and that means unfortunately asking people to stay away for that period."
Fires Across the Region
A huge blaze broke out in Castle Vale, engulfing two bungalows on Tangmere Drive and sending black smoke billowing into the sky. Two people were injured. There were also fires in areas including Oldbury, Druids Heath, Bartley Green, Solihull and Willenhall.
The day's events coincided with A level results, triggering speculation that 'celebrations' by young people including fireworks and deliberately setting their revision notes on fire might have inadvertently triggered some incidents. In a popular craze on social media site TikTok, young people film themselves, often in groups, lighting up their paperwork.
Investigation Ongoing
In response to inquiries, a fire service spokesperson said the rumours were being considered and had been shared with fire crews who had so far not found direct evidence to support the theory. But they said they remain open minded about the individual causes of blazes. "At this stage we would not want to blame young people or any particular groups of people but our investigations are at an early stage."
In Bartley Green, residents believe fireworks set off in celebration at around 10.20am yesterday were to blame for igniting fires in three neighbouring gardens. The embers fell onto gardens in Gleads Croft. The fire service has been asked to comment.
The fire service continues to urge the public to stay away from affected areas as crews work to bring the blazes under control and investigate the causes.
