Fire breaks out at African Village restaurant in Birmingham

A fire which broke out at the African Village restaurant in Perry Barr, Birmingham, yesterday afternoon has been extinguished.

Some 40 firefighters from West Midlands Fire service were in attendance at the height of the blaze. The service said one man was rescued from the burning building “by ladder from a window”.

The fire service urged people to avoid the Birchfield Road area and find alternative routes if they were driving while they dealt with the fire.

A statement by West Midlands Fire Service read: “Our investigators believe the fire started accidentally, although their inquiries will continue today.

“The fire was extinguished overnight, with crews making return visits to check for any hot spots.”