Cause of Balsall Heath school fire 'not yet known' as historic building gutted

Firefighters probing a huge fire at a former school building said the cause of the blaze was 'not yet known'. The Victorian building, based in Hertford Street, Balsall Heath, went up in flames at around 1.50pm on Monday, April 22.

The site was pictured this morning with a collapsed roof and its windows burnt out. Former pupils and teachers have already told of their heartbreak following the devastating inferno which raged for hours.

West Midlands Fire service said yesterday the blaze had broken out on the first floor and roof space of the 'void school building'. Clifton Road was closed in both directions while fire crews worked at the scene.

READ MORE: Former pupils and teachers 'heartbroken' after Balsall Heath school goes up in flames

The fire service has now issued a fresh update on its investigation into the blaze. It said firefighters were unable to ascertain the cause of the fire as they could not gain access to the premises due to 'potential structural issues'.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: "Crews have made excellent progress in extinguishing the fire at the former school premises. During the night and early hours, crews used thermal image cameras to identify and damp down hot spots. In the early hours of Tuesday, our resources at the scene were reduced to one fire engine and one hydraulic aerial platform.

"Crews continue to monitor the scene, damping down hot spots as necessary. Due to potential structural issues, a full inspection of the premises has not been possible. As a result, the cause of this incident is not yet known.

"A multi-agency meeting, between fire crews, local management and Birmingham City Council is expected to take place shortly. A further update, including information about road closures, will be issued shortly."