More than 100 firefighters have been battling a massive blaze for more than 12 hours after flames tore through multiple factory units in Wolverhampton. Residents were evacuated from their homes after the huge inferno broke out in Lower Horseley Fields at around 9pm on Monday (5/12). There have been reports of several explosions at the industrial site and thick plumes of black smoke being seen from 15 miles away as it billowed into the sky. Locals also described scenes 'like the apocalypse' as the 'sky turned red' from the enormous flames. West Midlands Fire Service declared a major incident and sent more than 20 appliances to tackle the blaze at the 200m x 200m site. Road and rail services were also disrupted with reports of passengers being trapped on trains for more than two hours. Local resident Kuljit Singh, 57, said: "It was chaos here last night, there was balls of fire leaping into the sky and explosions. "The fire service did an amazing job. The whole sky was lit up red like the apocalypse or something and they've worked all night. "The cordon is massive. I live down the road and had to keep my windows and doors closed. My cousin in Birmingham said he could see it from there." Train services into the city were cancelled and several roads were closed as fire crews tackled the blaze. Several appliances remained on site this morning (Tue) and the gutted buildings will be searched once it is deemed safe to do so. A fire service spokesperson said: "More than 100 firefighters have spent the night tackling a major incident on Lower Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton. "Though our resources have been scaled down, we still have several fire appliances and crews on scene. "Local road closures remain in place, and will for some time, as our resources require access in and out of the incident area. "Lower Walsall Street, Lower Horseley Fields, and Colliery Road are all currently closed. "Local trains have also been affected, with journeys between Wolverhampton and Birmingham being delayed or cancelled. We recommend checking before you travel. "Just after 9pm last night, four fire engines responded to the fire, which eventually involved multiple factory units measuring a total of approximately 200m x 200m. "This response was quickly increased, and within an hour we had more than 20 of our appliances and 100 firefighters tackling the blaze. "At around 10pm we declared this a major incident, due to the scale of the incident and its proximity to the nearby railway line and houses. "Crews worked assertively and tirelessly throughout the night, tackling the fire from multiple angles. "Alongside fighting the fire itself, one of the main priorities during the night was creating a fire break, to prevent the fire from spreading any further. "We worked closely with partner agencies, such as police, ambulance and other local authorities, with several multi-agency briefings taking place. "We worked with colleagues at Network Rail to halt all nearby trains and isolate the overhead power supply to the train tracks, whilst police colleagues managed local road closures to ensure a safe route in and out for our crews. "We also put a plan in place to evacuate local residents that were within the 200m risk area, with help from Wolverhampton Council. "Relief plans are currently being created as we look to draw this incident to a safe conclusion. "Buildings involved in the fire will be thoroughly searched once it is safe for our crews to do so. "Our fire investigation team will soon begin work to establish a cause." West Midlands Ambulance Service said it sent several resources to the scene of the 'significant fire' overnight. They included two senior paramedic officers, the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and four paramedic officers. A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “There were no patients requiring treatment, but ambulance staff remained on scene to support colleagues from the fire service, before being stood down at 6.30am today. “If you are within a close distance of the area please ensure you keep all windows and doors closed and stay indoors where you can.”
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