Police investigate suspected arson after major fire in Birmingham
Firefighters tackled a large fire in a shop on Stratford Road, Sparkhill, this morning.
Last updated 8 hours ago
A fire that broke out at the front of a shop in Birmingham sounded "like a bomb went off", a local resident said.
Local property developer Isaac Zintaan said he was alerted to the fire in the early hours of Monday at Stratford Road, Sparkhill, by residents of his nearby premises after they told him they heard a "loud explosion".
Mr Zintaan said he thought the fire was caused by a car, which was set alight and rammed into a supermarket.
"I have a business close by... the residents of my premises heard a loud explosion - 'like a bomb went off' that's what they described," the 28-year-old from Sparkhill told reporters.
"(When I arrived) everyone was coughing due to the intensity of the smoke."
Mr Zintaan said it appeared a car had rammed the supermarket on the ground floor of the building and footage taken by him showed a Land Rover on fire with its rear to the property - as if having reversed into it.
A 4x4 was pictured on Monday morning being extracted from the shop by a fire truck.
The car appeared charred and warped by the fire, with bay windows above the shop burnt out.
Police are investigating a "suspected arson" after a vehicle hit a shop in Sparkhill, Birmingham.
In a statement, West Midlands Police said: "We are investigating after a suspected arson on Stratford Road, Birmingham this morning (23 Dec).
"We were called at around 4.50am to reports of a fire at a shop.
"It's understood a vehicle hit the building. It was set alight, causing the shop and flats above to catch fire.
"Residents from the flats have been evacuated. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
"We are working alongside West Midlands Fire Service colleagues to investigate the circumstances.
"Anyone with any information is asked to contact us via Live Chat on our website or call 101 quoting 437 of 23 Dec."
West Midlands Fire Service said it responded to the incident at Stratford Road, Sparkhill, shortly before 4.55am on Monday.
The fire service said the blaze at the front of a retail store spread to shop signage and the bay windows of flats above.
In an update on Monday morning, it said the fire was "under control" and there were no casualties or injuries after five people received checks from paramedics after leaving their properties.
In a statement on Monday morning, West Midlands Fire Service said: "Firefighters have made good progress at the scene and the fire is under control.
"The hydraulic aerial platform remains in use as crews work to prevent fire spread. Two fire engines remain at the scene.
"Police colleagues are in attendance. Stratford Road is closed in both directions from Formans Road to Nansen Road."
Ten fire engines, two 4x4 brigade response vehicles and a hydraulic aerial platform responded to the incident, crewed by around 55 firefighters, the fire service added.