Fifty firefighters tackle 'severe' building fire
BBCAbout 50 firefighters are tackling a building fire in Birmingham.
Crews were sent to the blaze after it broke out in a three-storey building on Rea Street in Digbeth, near to where Birmingham Pride is being set up, shortly before 09:00 BST on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Fire Service described the fire as "severe" and said it was causing a "large amount of smoke".
No casualties have been reported and police have been called in to help manage traffic in the area, the spokesperson added.
As of midday, there were nine fire engines in attendance and the blaze was said to be affecting two floors of a factory unit.
People living nearby have been urged to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution.
Chris ShepherdChris Shepherd, from Stafford, was at the site at about 09:00 BST and saw the first fire engine arrive.
"When I first saw it, there was a plume of black smoke and it spread towards the back of the building," he said.
"You could see the roof was on fire and the smoke and flames were quite high."
He also said he found it interesting watching the firefighters work and how they "came together" to tackle the blaze.
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