A major emergency response was triggered in Sutton Coldfield after a fire in a high-rise building sent smoke into multiple flats, prompting a large-scale fire service call-out.
Emergency Response to Berryfields Road Incident
West Midlands Fire Service mobilised a significant force to reports of a fire at a nine-storey residential block on Berryfields Road in the Walmley area. The call came in at just after 6pm on Tuesday, January 13.
The brigade deployed a total of five appliances, including three fire engines and two brigade response vehicles. Crews were scrambled from Erdington, Haden Cross, Ward End, and Sutton Coldfield fire stations, involving approximately 20 firefighters.
Cause of the Smoke Logging
Firefighters quickly located the source of the incident in a bin storage room within the tower block. The blaze was confined to a metal bin, but it produced significant smoke that travelled up a bin chute, spreading to other levels of the building.
This caused smoke logging within several flats, creating a hazardous situation for residents. The fire service used social media platform X to alert the public, advising people to avoid the area around Berryfields Road if possible while crews dealt with the situation.
Safe Evacuation and Swift Resolution
Three occupants from the affected flats took the initiative to self-evacuate upon discovering the smoke. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the fire or the evacuation.
Fire crews used hose reel jets to extinguish the flames. The fire was confirmed to be out just after 6:30pm, within half an hour of the initial call. As a safety precaution, teams then conducted checks on all floors of the nine-storey building before concluding the operation and leaving the scene just before 7pm.
The incident highlights the rapid spread of smoke in high-rise buildings and the importance of swift emergency response. The effective work of the fire service prevented what could have been a more serious outcome.
