West Midlands Police have issued an urgent plea for members of the public to stop flying drones over the Stourbridge fire area, and have also urged people not to speculate on the cause of the blaze. The force confirmed that reports of two teenagers being arrested in connection with the fire are untrue.
The fire, which broke out near Stourbridge Golf Club on Thursday afternoon, August 13, spread to around 40 acres of land before flames took hold of people's properties. A woman and a boy were taken to Russells Hall Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, while others were evacuated from the area.
Drone flights hampering emergency response
In a statement released on Friday, August 14, West Midlands Police said there had been reports of drones flying over the town. The force has asked the public to keep the airspace clear so that "emergency service drones can be used to assess the area."
Assistant Chief Constable Rich North from West Midlands Police said: "Our thoughts are with the local community and all those effected at this time. At this stage, we are supporting our fire colleagues and would ask the public not to speculate on how these fires started. We are continuing to work with WMFS and partners to support where we’re needed. We want to thank everyone for their continued support and patience."
Prime Minister visits as fire makes national headlines
The severity of the fire made national headlines, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham visiting the town on Friday. Multiple cordons remain in place around the town, with exclusion zones still in effect around Quarry Park and Brunswick Gate. Fire crews are continuing to monitor and damp down hotspots across the affected areas.
Anthony Marsh, chief executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust, added: "Yesterday was an extremely busy day for our crews, responding to a number of serious fires across the region. I want to thank all of our staff for their professionalism and hard work, as well as our colleagues in the fire and police services for the way everyone worked together to help keep people safe. I am immensely proud of my Commanders and staff for the way in which they performed their duties."
Public urged to take extra care amid hot, dry weather
Marsh also urged the public to take extra care given the hot and dry weather conditions: "With the hot and dry weather, we have encountered, we would ask everyone to take extra care and think about the risks before lighting fires or undertaking activities that could cause them. Please also use 999 wisely and only call us when you have a genuine emergency, so our crews can get to those who need us most."
The police spokesperson confirmed to BirminghamLive that reports of two teenagers being arrested over the fire are false. The investigation into the cause of the fire continues, with police working alongside West Midlands Fire Service and other partners to support the affected community.
