Police are investigating a suspected arson after a fire broke out at a supermarket as a result of a car being “set alight and rammed into a building”.
More than 50 firefighters were called to tackle the fire on Stratford Road, in the Sparkhill area of Birmingham in the early hours of Monday morning.
The fire, which is now under control, spread from the supermarket to flats above, with residents reporting a “loud explosion” shortly before 5am.
West Midlands Fire Service said five people left their properties and were checked by paramedics, but there were no casualties or injuries reported.
Isaac Zintaan, a property developer, said residents told him they had heard a noise “like a bomb going off” before the fire erupted. “[When I arrived] everyone was coughing due to the intensity of the smoke,” said the 28-year-old.
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Mr Zintaan said it appeared a car had rammed into the Foodworld Supermarket on the ground floor of the building. Footage shows a Land Rover on fire with its rear to the property as if it had reversed into the supermarket.
A West Midlands Police spokesman confirmed that they were treating the fire as suspected arson. They said: “We were called at around 4.50am to reports of a fire at a shop. It’s understood a vehicle hit the building. It was set alight, causing the shop and flats above to catch fire.
“Residents from the flats have been evacuated. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. We are working alongside West Midlands Fire Service colleagues to investigate the circumstances.”
The fire has since been brought under control, although crews are still working to stop it spreading. The spokesman added: “Police colleagues are in attendance. Stratford Road is closed in both directions from Formans Road to Nansen Road.”
On the Sparkhill Neighbourhood page on Facebook, Abdul Khan, the administrator, urged people to plan their journeys accordingly. Buses operated by National Express West Midlands have also been diverted.
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