Published on | General
Imagine yourself, readying for the graveyard shift, perhaps enjoying a coffee before you pop your boots on, when through your window you spot something lighting up the sky… Sgt. Keith Charles hadn’t even pulled his boots on when he rushed out his house to tackle a fire blazing on Alum Rock Road that threatened a range of workshops and stores nearby!
Back in 1954, the story made headlines after it took more than an hour for firefighters from three Birmingham stations to finally reduce the fire to embers. The high winds combined with the stocks of timber and paint in the workshops made a recipe for disaster.
“There was not really very much I could do about the flames, because they had a good hold by the time I arrived. I should say that if I had been out of bed about ten minutes later the fire would have completely destroyed the premises.”
Sgt. Keith Charles
Keith had been readying himself for work when he spotted the flames and sprang into action – rushing onto the street and raising the alarm.
With the help of a passing bus inspector, they began to move vehicles away from the burning buildings so they better prevent the fire spreading and allow access for the fire brigade. All of this, whilst poor Keith was still in his slippers!
The aftermath was devastating for the businesses affected; a wood store and paint shop was reduced to ashes, as well as adjoining timber store and joiners shop losing machinery and their roof to the blaze. Thankfully, the quick actions of Sgt. Charles and the hard work of the fire fighters managed to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby houses, though a few had scorched garden fences!