Major Incident Declared in UK City After Fire Engulfs Multiple Buildings

Firefighters at the scene of a major incident at a derelict factory in Lower Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton, England, on Dec. 6, 2022. Jacob King/PA Media

More than 100 firefighters were called out in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom, after a fire broke out overnight at multiple factory units, with authorities declaring it a “major incident.”

According to the West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS), fire crews were called to the Horseley Fields area of the city just after 9 p.m. Monday night.

One eyewitness told the BBC that they saw “a big fireball go up” as well as “large flames,” while another said that “the sky is red.”

Authorities said that five fire engines remained in place on Tuesday morning to continue managing the situation.

In a statement, WMFS said: “Crews have continued to fight the fire throughout the night. More than 30 of our appliances have been in attendance and as of this morning, we have five fire engines, two hydraulic platforms and two of our high-volume water pumping units on scene.”

The service added that “relief plans are being created as we look to draw the incident to a safe conclusion.”

Mark Price from WMFS said that the blaze had been a “large scale and complex incident” and that there was concern about it spreading to nearby homes and transport infrastructure.

Handout photo from the twitter account @nathanfletch_ of firefighters attending a major incident at a derelict factory at Lower Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton, England, on Dec. 5, 2022. Nathan Fletcher/Handout via PA Media

No Reported Casualties

West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed that several resources were sent to the blaze on Monday night. A spokeswoman from the service stated, “There were no patients requiring treatment, but ambulance staff remained on scene to support colleagues from the fire service.” She advised residents that live within close distance of the fire to ensure they “keep all windows and doors closed and stay indoors where you can.”

Train services have also been affected because of the proximity of the railway lines to the blaze.

Avanti West Coast apologised to passengers following reports that some people were stuck on trains. The company said services have resumed via an alternative route.

National Rail said that services are likely to be affected throughout Tuesday with cancellations, delays, or diversions possible.

Meanwhile, West Midlands Metro said its services are running as normal and where possible extra trains will be put in service, but warned that trains are likely to be more crowded than usual.

Some roads around the site have been closed and motorists have been advised to avoid the area and to allow extra time when making their journeys.

The BBC reported that some lorry drivers were unable to get to their vehicles on Tuesday morning as they were parked in areas that police had cordoned off.

An investigation into the fire will take place, but as of yet there is no indication into what caused the blaze.