Over 50 people left needing treatment and 19 rushed to hospital after West Midlands fire - as pictures show devastation of blaze through £1m homes near golf course
The country saw the hottest day of the year yesterday, with temperatures soaring past 38C and smashing the June record.
Dozens of people were left needing treatment, with 19 rushed to hospital, after wildfires broke out across the West Midlands yesterday.
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The blazes led to thousands of 999 calls on Thursday, the UK’s hottest day of the year, a fire chief said.
In an update on Friday morning, West Midlands Ambulance Service said they had attended “a number of serious fires” across the region “as hot and dry conditions continue”.
The fires included one on Norton Road in Stourbridge, where a total of six patients were treated including a woman and a boy who were taken to hospital due to the effects of smoke inhalation.
West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust chief executive Anthony Marsh said in a statement that Thursday had been an “extremely busy day for our crews”, adding that he was “immensely proud” of his staff.
Read more: 'Apocalyptic' scenes in West Midlands as 'devastating' wildfire tears through homes
He said: “With the hot and dry weather we have encountered, we would ask everyone to take extra care and think about the risks before lighting fires or undertaking activities that could cause them.
“Please also use 999 wisely and only call us when you have a genuine emergency, so our crews can get to those who need us most.”
Chief fire officer Simon Tuhill, of West Midlands Fire Service, said one huge blaze in Stourbridge, which forced some people to flee after it started tearing through homes, was “one of the most significant” incidents the region’s fire service has ever dealt with.
An update from West Midlands Fire Service on Friday morning said crews were “making progress” and “tactically working across several different areas of the site”.
On Thursday night, Mr Tuhill said he had been in touch with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who released a statement shortly afterwards to pay tribute to the firefighters on the ground battling the wildfires.
The Prime Minister said: “Awful to see homes and communities hit by fires across the country tonight as the heatwave continues.
“My thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have been injured or forced from their homes, and with the firefighters who have been taken to hospital.
“I’m in touch with local leaders (including West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker) and will be speaking to emergency services on the ground as they continue their response.
“Our firefighters are working in incredibly difficult conditions and putting themselves at risk to keep others safe. A huge thank you to them and everyone supporting the effort tonight.”
Mr Tuhill said that “the emergency service presence here will likely run into days” and asked people to stay away from the area.
The Met Office said 38.1C was recorded at Kew Gardens in London on Thursday – the second time this year the country has seen temperatures reach 38C.
In neighbouring Worcestershire, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said several homes had been damaged and 30 properties were evacuated in Pershore following a large fire on Lancelott Court.
Elsewhere in the region, smoke from nearby wildfires forced the closure of the M6 northbound between junctions five and six – causing more than two hours of delays.