01 Jul 2013
A huge factory blaze in Smethwick is one of the largest ever seen in the West Midlands, firefighters have said.
Two hundred firefighters were sent to battle the blaze involving 100,000 tonnes of plastic recycling material.
Nine fire crew members were taken to hospital after tackling the fire at the Jayplas depot in Dartmouth Road.
Residents living near the industrial estate were advised to keep windows closed, while Birmingham International Airport was alerted to a plume of smoke rising 6,000ft into the air.
Motorists were told the fire was likely to cause congestion in the area and they should avoid junction one of the M5 if possible.
Three roads – Dartmouth Road, Halfords Lane and Brasshouse Lane – were closed to traffic.
Emergency services were called to the fire at about 11pm on Sunday.
West Midlands Fire Service area commander Steve Vincent said it had not been necessary to evacuate any of the local residents because the scene was a mainly industrial area.
The injured firefighters were all safely being treated, he added.
Copyright Press Association 2013