A huge fire has completely engulfed a large industrial building in Birmingham, with crews from the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) engaged in a major battle to bring the massive blaze under control.
Firefighters Double Crews as Blaze Intensifies
The emergency services were first alerted to the incident on Seeleys Road in the Greet area shortly after 7pm on Wednesday, 7 January 2026. Initial reports indicated a factory was alight on the Tyseley Industrial Estate.
Fire crews arrived promptly, with an initial deployment of around 40 firefighters. However, as the fire rapidly spread through the large brick structure, the response was dramatically scaled up. WMFS soon doubled the number of personnel at the scene to tackle the escalating emergency.
Scale of the Emergency Response
The firefighting operation is now a significant one. Almost 80 firefighters are currently on site, supported by a large fleet of appliances and specialist equipment.
The resources deployed include:
- 14 fire engines
- Three hydraulic platforms
- Multiple specialist units
- Command and support officers
Images released by the fire service show the severity of the situation, with the entire structure of the factory, measuring approximately 100 metres by 40 metres, now fully involved in the fire.
Public Health Advice and Area Closure
As crews continue their work to contain the inferno, authorities have issued important safety advice to the public. People are being strongly advised to avoid the Tyseley Industrial Estate and the surrounding area to allow emergency services unimpeded access and to ensure public safety.
Local residents have also been warned about potential smoke and fumes from the burning building. The official advice is to keep windows and doors closed to prevent the inhalation of any harmful smoke that may drift from the site.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, and firefighters are expected to remain at the scene for a considerable time, working to fully extinguish the blaze and dampen down hotspots.
