Investigation underway into cause of huge blaze inside Smethwick scrap factory

An investigation is underway into the cause of a huge fire which broke out inside a scrap factory in Smethwick on Thursday 18 January.

Thick grey smoke was seen across Birmingham's skyline throughout the afternoon, with plumes seen billowing for miles as a shredder inside the unit went up in flames.Forty firefighters, eight crews, were battling the blaze and "working hard" to ensure the fire did not spread to other businesses on Rabone Lane from around 2pm.

Closer images of the scene in Smethwick showed the aftermath of the blaze, with grey and black clouds rising quickly into the air.

In a statement, West Midlands Fire Service said: "Our crews have brought this incident to a safe conclusion.

"While the fire is out, reduced numbers of crew will remain at the scene for a few hours, after which re-visits will be in place throughout the coming days.

"Rabone Lane will stay closed until tomorrow because of the volume of surface water and the freezing temperatures.

"Safety advice to keep windows and doors closed is no longer in place.

"Investigations into the cause of the fire are now underway."