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Huge fire rages at scrapyard as explosions reported

BBC A thick black cloud of smoke above a fire burning behind a breeze block wall. The fire looks to be on top of a scrap heap of cars, with a blue burnt out car on top.BBC
West Midlands Fire Service said about 70 firefighters were dealing with the blaze

Dozens of firefighters are tackling a large fire which has broken out at a scrapyard in Birmingham.

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) said it was called to Alexanders Wharf, on Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, at 10:30 BST on Wednesday.

At least 70 firefighters are currently dealing with the blaze, with an aerial platform among the engines sent there. The ambulance service and police also at the scene.

Alec McWilliam, from WMFS, said everyone had been accounted for and asked the public to avoid the area, with residents nearby urged to keep their doors and windows shut.

A number of road closures are in place in the area.

McWilliam said the fire was thought to have started in the scrapyard and had spread to a nearby timber yard.

However, he said the Lifford Lane household recycling centre was not affected.

A city skyline with two blocks of flat to the right and multiple orange cranes in the sky above trees and houses.
Smoke has been seen across Birmingham

Some people have reported on social media of hearing explosions from the site.

Although he was not aware of those, McWilliam said he would not be surprised if that was the case with scrapyards often handling cylinders and other items, although he was not concerned by those reports.

He added that the fire service expected to stay at the scene for at least the next 24 hours.

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