Emergency services were called to Tyseley Industrial Estate on the evening of 7 January 2026, following reports of a “significant fire” at a factory unit
Around 75 firefighters and 14 fire appliances attended the incident in Birmingham, which involved a large carpet storage unit. West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) mobilised three hydraulic aerial platforms and seven brigade response vehicles to tackle the flames.
The service confirmed that 100 percent of the two-storey brick building was affected by the blaze, with crews utilising specialist equipment, including aerial drones and breathing apparatus, to bring the fire under control.
Footage captured at the scene shows flames and plumes of smoke enveloping the 100m x 40m unit. WMFS added that the fire was “likely to be a protracted incident” and would provide further significant updates when available.
By the following morning (8 January), the emergency response was scaled down, and 10 fire appliances remained at the scene. WMFS warned of high levels of smoke surrounding the industrial estate, advising people to avoid the area:
“Due to the current levels of smoke, our advice to keep windows and doors closed and avoid the area will remain in place for the majority of the day.”
A spokesperson for the service later said:
“Crews have continued to make good progress extinguishing this fire, and only hotspots remain. They have been supported by drone imagery. We have scaled down to three fire engines.
“Gas and electric to the building have been isolated, and there have been no injuries or casualties.
“Due to the scale of this incident, the fire investigation is expected to take some time.”
(Photograph by West Midlands Fire Service)