Shropshire fire crews cover while colleagues battle major Stourbridge inferno

Two Shropshire fire crews were drafted in to cover for colleagues battling a raging inferno engulfing parts of Stourbridge.

Crews from Telford’s Tweedale Fire Station and Hodnet Fire Station near Market Drayton were called over to Birmingham’s Highgate Fire Station while its teams headed to the developing crisis in Norton, Stourbridge.

At one point there were 100 firefighters tackling the blaze which saw scores of residents evacuated from their homes amid terrifying scenes.

With many of the West Midlands’ crews engaged with trying to stop the fire spreading teams from other areas were called in to provide cover for any other incidents.

In a post on social media, the Tweedale Station said the events had shown the importance of different fire services working together to protect the public.

They also revealed a number of callouts on a frantic day for fire crews across the region.

The post said: “Today showed how even the bigger brigades sometimes need support, and how important it is that fire and rescue services work together to support one another.

“At 17:48, 20P1 was mobilised to provide standby cover over the border at Highgate Fire Station within West Midlands Fire Service, alongside 10P2 from Hodnet.

“On arrival, crews were met by the day crew, who had just finished their shift after working hard at the major fires at Kings Norton and the major incident at Stourbridge.

“Within an hour, we were mobilised to our first incident, all the way in Dudley.

“Crews were faced with a fire involving grassland and hedges, with narrow access making the incident more challenging.

“Crews worked to fully extinguish the fire before returning to Highgate.

“Whilst stopping for some food on the way back, crews were mobilised again - this time to reports of a building fire at a Wetherspoons in Hay Mill.

“On arrival, no serious fire was found, with smoke being caused by an electrical fault.

“Crews then returned to Highgate and met the night watch before they mobilised once again, this time to reports of an electrical fire within a flat on the 27th floor of a high-rise building.

“Crews have now been relieved by Tweedale wholetime, who will continue to provide cover throughout the night.

“Meanwhile, crews back at Tweedale have also been busy, with 20C1 and 20S1 responding to a fire in the open in the Shrewsbury area.

“A busy evening across the service, showing the importance of working together and supporting neighbouring brigades when they need it.”