You are connecting from Lake Geneva Public Library, please login or register to take advantage of your institution's Ground News Plan.
Published 5 days ago • loading... • Updated 4 days ago
'Apocalyptic Scenes' as Fires Hits West Midlands Homes
More than 100 firefighters battled grassland blazes that damaged homes, forced evacuations and triggered thousands of emergency calls, officials said.
On Thursday, multiple fires erupted across the West Midlands as extreme heat triggered an amber warning, forcing emergency crews to respond to significant incidents throughout the region.
The Met Office recorded 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday, marking the second time this year temperatures reached 38C and making it the UK's hottest day of the year.
Chief Fire Officer Tuhill deployed more than 100 firefighters to Stourbridge after a blaze caused 'extensive' devastation, forcing residents to flee as flames spread from grassland into nearby homes.
Smoke from nearby wildfires forced closure of the motorway northbound between junctions five and six, causing more than two hours of delays before the route later reopened with six miles of congestion.
Severn Trent Water warned of supply disruptions in Kidsgrove due to firefighters using hydrants, while West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker pledged additional resources to support emergency response efforts.