200 Firefighters at Smethwick Blaze

1 July 2013, 07:20 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

200 firefighters from right across the West Midlands have been tackling a huge blaze at a recycling centre on the outskirts of Birmingham.

100,000 tonnes of plastic and paper were on fire at the site near Dartmouth Road and the smoke plume rose 6,000 feet above the West Midlands.

After looking at CCTV West Midlands Fire Service believe that the flames were caused by a Chinese lantern.

Ten firefighters have been injured tackling the fire in Smethwick which started around 11.30 last night.

West Midlands Fire Service area advising people living near the blaze to keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.

Police, ambulance crews and the Environment Agency are all at the scene in Smethwick. West Midlands Fire Service have received more than 200 calls from the public about the fire overnight.

Some roads around Dartmouth Road in Smethwick are closed and are likely to remain shut for several days.

The amazing photograph is from West Midlands Fire Service and below is a video sent in from listener, Ian Dangerfield.