A Stourbridge resident caught up in the major fire that swept through the town has admitted he does not know if his home is still standing. Pritpal Boyal, who lives at the heart of the affected area, said he and his family were told to leave immediately as the blaze spread rapidly, and they have not been able to return since.
Residents evacuated and taken to town hall
Families devastated by the fire were given refuge in Stourbridge Town Hall while fire crews worked to bring the situation under control. The fire was one of many incidents West Midlands Fire Service dealt with on August 13, and the operation continued into the following day.
Mr Boyal explained the uncertainty facing residents like him. "We have not been told if it is still there or not, so that's why people have got anxiety about what will happen next," he said. "We have been told by the police they are just trying to sort a gas leak out before they let people in."
At least ten injured, including a child and firefighters
At least ten people have been injured in the Stourbridge fire. Among them were a child and several firefighters. As of the morning of August 14, 14 fire engines remained at the incident, with crews working across several areas of the site. Firefighters were extinguishing hotspots and monitoring areas at risk of re-ignition.
Mr Boyal described how the fire started and spread. "From what I heard, it was all of the greenery around the property. It just set alight because of the weather conditions," he said. "It was just really quick. It spread really quickly as well. We were just told to leave straight away."
Police cordons and ongoing response
West Midlands Police were managing several cordons across the affected site, but some people remain in the risk area. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Richard Stanton said: "First and foremost, our thoughts are with everyone affected by this fire. We know a number of families have seen their homes destroyed or seriously damaged and our thoughts are with everyone that has been affected by this incident."
He added: "Our crews have been working incredibly hard overnight and into this morning to get things under control and the situation is vastly improved from yesterday afternoon but we’ll have resources at the scene for some time yet."
