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Firefighters tackle blaze in derelict building

Chloe Hughes
BBC News, West Midlands
BBC Three fire staff are standing behind a red and yellow fire engine, which is parked in front of a shop. that has blue and black frontage. There is a red and white cordon, and its windows are smashed. There are parts of the roof missing and the first floor is blackened with fire. The fire engine has deployed an aerial ladder which is hovering above the buildingBBC
Twelve crews were involved in tackling the fire at its height

Two roads in Smethwick, in the West Midlands, are set to be closed for much of the day after a huge fire in a derelict building.

At its height, 12 fire crews tackled the blaze on Anderson Road, in Bearwood, after being deployed at about 01:15 BST.

No casualties have been reported and the response has since been scaled back. However West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) said Bearwood and Anderson Road would remain closed for most of Sunday.

West Midlands Police said it was working with fire crews to enforce road closures and help establish the cause of the blaze.

A drone will be deployed to monitor the structure and "complex nature" of the former shop, WMFS said, adding that "good progress" was being made in the investigation into the cause of the blaze.

A firefighter is on an aerial platform ladder which is positioned over the top of a building. The building is black from fire and parts of the roof is missing, with exposed metal. The firefighter is blasting water at the roof with a hose
Firefighters and police are investigating the cause of the blaze

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