This is the moment a car was consumed by fierce flames on a busy Sutton Coldfield street as cars passed by. The incident took place in Chester Road in Streetly shortly before 8am on Friday (January 10).
A Volvo car went up in flames as it was parked on a pavement right next to a carriageway. A nearby resident went to see what was happening and when he walked out of an alleyway he was met with the car well on fire.
He then crossed the road, in case the car exploded, but continued to film as cars drove past with some just inches away from the flames and debris burning on the road beside it. Some cars were going onto the opposite carriageway towards oncoming traffic.
Read: Man dies in two-car crash with road closed for 5 hours
The fire brigade then arrived, leading to Chester Road being closed off. Moments later the car fire was extinguished leading to a thick plume of white smoke billowing into the sky.
The 30-year-old resident, who asked not to be named, said: “I live a couple of streets back from there and saw smoke over the houses in the direction of the school where my partner lives by. I messaged her but then went to have a look.
“As soon as I popped out of the end of the gulley, the car was there. The fire service were there then.
“The car looked like it had been burning for five minutes when I got there. When I came out of the gulley, I was about two-car-lengths away from the back of it. I did think that’s one way to de-ice your car!
“It was a 2010 plate Volvo. Within the space of a couple of minutes of the firefighters getting there, it was out. I then carried on my walk with my dog.”
Some drivers went very close past the burning Volvo in Chester Road in Streetly, Sutton Coldfield
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Service said: “Shortly before 8am on Friday (January 10), we responded to Chester Road, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield. A fire engine from Aldridge attended, arriving to find a car well alight on the road.
“Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire using two hose reels. Recovery was arranged by the owner’s insurance company. Police colleagues assisted with traffic management.
“We left the scene with the police still in attendance at 8.45am.”
Within minutes of West Midlands Fire Service’s Aldridge crew arriving at the scene in Chester Road, Streetly, the car fire was put out with a thick plume of white smoke rising into the sky
National Express West Midlands confirmed the road closure which led to it having to divert its number 935 bus service between Birmingham and Walsall.
It said: “Service Disruption. Chester Road Streetly is currently closed. Bus number 935 is diverted via Bridle Lane and Beacon Hill.” But the service returned on its normal route around 9.20am.