Latest news straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A road remains closed nearly 24 hours after a garage fire sparked a chemical explosion.

Fire crews were called after a blaze broke out at a residential garage on the corner of Oxhill Road and Windermere Road, Handsworth, around 4.30pm.

Crews then discovered there were more than 30 containers of sodium, a reactive substance, which had been stored for more than a decade at the premises. The sodium reacted with the heavy rain, causing multiple explosions described as a firework display.

A section of Oxhill Road by the Tesco was closed to the public and a 50 metre wide cordon was set up.

Several bus services were diverted and Windermere Road residents were evacuated while others locals were told to stay inside and keep their windows closed.

Around 30 fire crews tackled the flames at the height of the blaze.

A specialist company was then called in overnight and have been disposing of the chemical containers.

Windermere Road remains closed to traffic today but residents have been allowed back into their homes. The road is expected to open today (November 15).

Incident Commander Dave Bouche r said: “The sodium had been in storage in the garage for more than 10 years and there were more than 30 containers in different sizes.

“Sodium is water reactive. The roof of the garage had been compromised and the rain had got in and caused quite a substantive incident.

"It was like a medium sized firework display.

“From a safety point of view, we had to close that road and get members of the public to stay in their houses and get an exclusion zone set up.

“The situation is on-going.

“We’ve had to get a specialist contractor in and keep a fire presence there. The road will be closed for the moment. They have removed the chemicals and are sweeping and cleaning and ensuring it is safe.”