Commuters hit by major garage blaze

Aug 22 2007 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

MOTORISTS faced rush-hour chaos in part of the Midlands today as firefighters risked serious injury tackling a blaze.

The fire, which may have been started deliberately, broke out just before midnight at a garage in Wolverhampton Road, Oldbury.

There was a danger of an explosion involving oxyacetylene cylinders and fire crews were still at the scene this morning keeping the cylinders cool.

Drivers were facing extensive delays, with police setting up diversions between Titford Road and the busy Birchley island, which serves junction 2 of the M5 motorway.

West Midlands Fire Service Divisional Officer Mick Birch said that fire crews initially set up a 100-metre exclusion zone around the scene of the fire but this was later scaled down.

"The fire at the garage was severe but was quickly brought under control by firefighters.

"However there was a danger posed by oxyacetylene cylinders within the building which had been affected by the heat.

"Obviously if these cylinders get too hot there is a danger of an explosion so crews had to make sure the cylinders were kept cool.

"Firefighters will be at the scene for most of the day keeping an eye on the situation. The cause of the fire is still being investigated," he added.

Mr Birch said that the exclusion zone was later scaled down to a 30-metre radius.

"There is an office to one side of the garage and a builders yard to the other.

"There are no houses in the immediate vicinity but workers at the affected premises were told to stay away until any possible danger from the cylinders was eliminated."