A significant early morning fire forced the closure of a major Birmingham road, with around twenty firefighters deployed to tackle the blaze.
Road Sealed Off After Early Hours Alert
West Midlands Fire Service received an emergency call at 3.54am on Sunday, December 28, reporting a fire on Stratford Road in the Sparkbrook area. The incident involved a mixed-use building situated between the junctions with Ladypool Road and Main Street.
Initially, the service dispatched two crews from Highgate fire station and one from Hay Mills. As the situation developed, an additional crew from Billesley was sent to assist, bringing the total to four fire engines and approximately twenty personnel.
Major Transport Disruption for Morning Commuters
The firefighting operation led to the complete closure of the A34 Stratford Road in both directions. Traffic information service Inrix reported significantly heavier than normal traffic in the area as a result of the emergency activity.
National Express West Midlands confirmed that multiple bus services were diverted due to the incident. Services 2, 3, 4, 4A, 5, and 6 were all affected, with buses rerouted via Highgate Road, Walford Road, Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath Highway, Bordesley Middleway, and Camp Hill before rejoining their normal routes.
Road Reopens After Morning Rush
Fire crews managed to bring the fire under control, with a stop message received by the fire service at 8am. The road was fully reopened to traffic shortly before 9.30am, allowing buses to return to their standard routes.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service confirmed that while the road had reopened, one crew remained at the scene in the aftermath to monitor for any potential hotspots and ensure the area was safe.
