Firefighters continue to tackle Stourbridge wildfire where couple lost their home

Play Brightcove video Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 7:28 Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 7:28 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track en (Main) , selected Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Play Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently playing live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen "It's burned down. Our neighbours house it was erased, just like we see in Gaza, the whole estate is like that." Uttam Shiralkar was at home in Stourbridge when he started to smell smoke. But once he went outside to see what was happening, he wasn't allowed to return. Police told him to vacate the property, leaving everything behind. He wasn't even allowed to drive away in his car. He said he hoped it was just his back gate that was burning, until he and his wife Sandy saw their home on the news. "We saw on TV the top room of our house is actively burning, the garage is gone," Uttam said. Sandy Shiralkar saw her home burning on the news. Credit: ITV News "We're still in shock, numb, it still hasn't sunk in," he added. Sandy said their son cried when they called to tell him what had happened. She said: "It's all my lifetime gathering. "All my son's clothes and books, so much attachment and all is gone. "We will rebuild it because that's what we do, but I feel sad about losing all my belongings." Sandy and Uttam lived on Quarry Park Road which is now in an exclusion zone, as it is structurally unsafe. A hundred firefighters were tackling the wildfire last night. Credit: PA Images A hundred firefighters were tackling the blaze last night. A total of 54 patients have been treated by paramedics – including 19 who were taken to hospital – as a result of wildfires in the West Midlands, the region’s ambulance service said. "The devastation is extensive" Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill said: "This has been one of the most significant incidents that West Midlands Fire Service has ever attended. The devastation is extensive." Fourteen fire engines remain at the fire today, with crews working across several areas of the site. West Midlands Fire Service say firefighters are extinguishing hotspots and monitoring areas at risk of re-ignition. Speaking at the scene of the Stourbridge blaze, Mr Tuhill said the fire is believed to have started in the grassland, before spreading to homes nearby. Play Brightcove video Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:56 Loaded : 0.00% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:56 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track en (Main) , selected Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Play Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently playing live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen Assistant Chief Fire Officer Richard Stanton said this morning: “First and foremost, our thoughts are with everyone affected by this fire. "We know a number of families have seen their homes destroyed or seriously damaged and our thoughts are with everyone that has been affected by this incident. “Our crews have been working incredibly hard overnight and into this morning to get things under control and the situation is vastly improved from yesterday afternoon, but we’ll have resources at the scene for some time yet. “Please, help us by staying away from the incident ground." Nathan Hudson from West Midlands Ambulance Service said six people were treated by crews at the scene in the town, with two taken to hospital after suffering from smoke inhalation yesterday. Six homes destroyed as firefighters continue to tackle golf course blaze Huge fires threaten to tear through homes in Stoke and the West Midlands Dudley Council opened up rest centres at the Town Hall and local leisure centre for people who had to evacuate. Councillor Ed Lawrence, the member for emergency planning, estimated 250-300 people went to the town hall. He said: "Our absolute main focus has been on getting those residents somewhere safe where they can be looked after, fed, watered and getting them somewhere safe overnight." Mental health providers, GPs and paramedics were also on-site to provide support to residents. Mr Lawrence said a number of care homes had to be evacuated, and a local boarding school has allowed the council to use their rooms to temporarily house people. The council have set up a hotline for family members to check if people have registered with them, saying: "We've had to move residents out of care homes, so if you have got a family member that you don't know where they are and they haven't made contact with you, you can call the council on 0300 5552040 and they'll be able to tell you whether they are in our care or not." Homes and care homes were evacuated in Stourbridge as the fire spread. Credit: PA Images Cat Eccles, MP for Stourbridge was at the town hall to assist with providing support to residents. She said: "It's really shocking, really awful, there's some really heartbreaking stories inside there. "People who have lost everything. It's really not what we expected to see in Stourbridge today." The Prime Minister has pledged to support fire and rescue services in the region with any additional resources they need. Andy Burnham 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." The West Midlands was subject to an amber warning for extreme heat for much of Thursday before multiple fires were reported, which was set to expire just before midnight. Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...