Birmingham flats residents evacuated in fire drama

Dec 21 2007 By Jasbir Authi, Birmingham Mail

NEIGHBOURS today spoke of their shock after 14 people were rescued from a block of flats after a suspected arson blaze filled their homes with smoke.

Firefighters and ambulance paramedics were called to the three-storey building in Rilstone Road, Quinton, late last night.

They found that a fire in a ground-floor flat had smoke-logged other flats in the block.

Fire crews used ladders to rescue residents from their balconies and the blaze was quickly brought under control, according to West Midlands Fire Service.

A mother and her two children, as well as a friend who had been visiting, were suffering from smoke inhalation, a spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

The mother and her children, who have not been named, were taken to Heartlands Hospital and the friend was taken to City Hospital in Dudley Road.

Eleven other people were checked by paramedics at the scene but did not require hospital treatment.

Neighbour and mother-of-three Jane Mason said: "It happened between 11pm and 11.30pm and was still going on at 3am.

"There were four fire engines at one point. The smoke was horrendous. The fire crews had to get people out through the balconies.

"A family live on the top floor but they were OK.

"I think a man lives on his own in the flat where the fire started. The police knocked on my door to ask if I had seen anything."

Mother-of-two and student, Metron Zinye, aged 40, lives in the nearby block of flats.

Mrs Zinye said: "I heard noise from the block and saw huge smoke coming out."

A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said police are investigating the incident.

He said: "The cause is being treated as suspicious."