‘Chemical incident’ leads to evacuation of Birmingham tower block and road closure

A ‘chemical incident’ at a tower block in Birmingham has led to residents being evacuated and checked and a road closed. A “strong chemical-type smell” was reported at the Speedwell House tower block in Hillmeads Road in Kings Norton at around 7pm on Tuesday (May 21).

West Midlands Fire Service sent four crews to the scene from Bournbrook, Kings Norton, Billesley and Highgate. Police and ambulance crews were also present.

About four floors of the high-rise – seven to 10 – were evacuated as a precaution. It was believed to involve 30 residents.

Read more: Road closure – flats evacuated after ‘chemical incident’ at tower block

West Midlands Fire Service group manager Jason Holt, an operations manager for Birmingham North, told BirminghamLive: “We received a call about a strong chemical smell on the seventh floor of a tower block in Hillmeads Road, Kings Norton.

“We had four crews as well as officers from Birmingham City Council and police and ambulance crews. The ambulance service carried out precautionary checks on the residents and all are OK.

“We are now conducting searches inside the building where the smell is coming from. We evacuated the building from the seventh floor to the 10th floor at the top as a precaution.

“We are working with Birmingham City Council to check all elements – leaks and gaps and locations in the building where the smell could be coming from.

“Firefighters who attended the incident said there was a smell in the building. The main road has reopened but the side road near the tower block is still closed.”