Investigators have revealed the cause of the large fire that broke out at Samuel Vale House in Radford on Saturday.
Investigators have determined the cause of a severe blaze at a high-risee flat block in Coventry. Officials say the fire was sparked by “an electric bike battery being left on charge.”
Samuel Vale House was engulfed in flames over the weekend as a large blaze took hold at around 4pm on Saturday (September 30). Firefighters spent several hours trying to extinguish the fire on St Nicholas Street.
A road closure was put in place by West Midlands Police. Paramedics and the WMAS Hazardous Area Response Team were called to the scene at around 4:25pm.
West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) said the blaze broke out on the 11th floor with thick plumes of smoke seen pouring from the building in Radford. Crews wearing breathing apparatus managed to extinguish the fire, which was confirmed to be out at 5:40pm.
A photograph shared by WMFS shows the ‘shocking’ damaged caused to the flat involved, with several flats above also affected. A number of residents were evacuated and taken to Coventry Central Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Two people were reportedly ‘led to safety’ from inside the building. A man was treated for minor injuries and given self-care advice before being discharged, while a second man was assessed at the scene, but did not require treatment, said West Midlands Ambulance Service.
A spokesman for West Midlands Fire Serivce said: “We believe this fire started accidentally as a result on an electric bike battery being left on charge.”
