2 days Ago By BBC
Firefighters remain at the scene of a blaze which started at a derelict college in Coventry on Tuesday evening. Plumes of thick black smoke could be seen from miles away after the fire broke out at the former Henley College building on Henley Road, with fire services receiving calls at about 19:15 BST. The building has not been used as a college for three years but has since been used for filming for the BBC drama series Phoenix Rise and by West Midlands Fire Service for training purposes.
West Midlands Fire Service said the fire was still ongoing but was less severe than on Tuesday night, with 45 firefighters remaining at the scene on Wednesday morning. At the peak of the blaze, 75 firefighters were in attendance. One member of the public told the BBC the building had also been on fire a few weeks ago.
A spokesperson for the service said: "Progress has been made overnight as crews have surrounded the fire and are damping down the fire and tackling hotspots. We expect to be on site at the incident throughout the day and into the evening." An electric substation was temporarily shut down overnight to ensure the safety of the site and the substation, but power has since been restored to homes.
Henley Road remains closed to traffic between Parcel Road and Deedmore Road, but pedestrian access has been reopened. The fire service added: "We continue to urge members of the public to keep their doors and windows closed due to the smoke from the fire and to stay away from the area to allow our firefighters and other agencies to continue their work. "Thank you to nearby residents for their patience and understanding during this incident.
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