08 Jul 2014
One of the busiest roads in England’s second city had to be shut during rush-hour following a restaurant fire.
Safety officials will investigate the cause of the blaze, which caused Birmingham’s Broad Street to close until shortly after 9am on Tuesday (July 8).
Eight fire vehicles were summoned to the fast-food takeaway Food Republic at 6.15am.
Over 200 guests staying at an adjacent hotel were told to leave the premises. The Hampton Hilton customers, many of whom were awoken by fire alarms at about 6am, were permitted to return later.
Officials diverted buses and shut a stretch of Broad Street from Bishopsgate Street to the Sheepcote Street junction.
West Midlands Fire Service’s Dave Pitt confirmed that suspicious circumstances surrounded the fire.
The blaze caused “moderate” damage to the restaurant.
Broad Street is one of Birmingham’s main arteries and nightlife centres and is known to be a traffic jam blackspot.
Copyright Press Association 2014