Birmingham cafe engulfed by flames after sparkler touches alcoholic drink
5 February 2023, 17:35
Eyewitnesses blamed a 'sparkler in an alcoholic drink' for a sudden blaze that swept across an Italian restaurant in Birmingham.
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Diners and bar staff tried to extinguish the flames at Caffe de Milano in the Arcadian shopping centre on Hurst Street.
The West Midlands Fire Service was called to the site at around 11pm yesterday.
Fire crews and those inside the restaurant finished putting out the fire half an hour later, the fire service said.
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At that point the site was "completely dampened down", it added.
"The stop came at 11.27pm."
TikTok users who shared footage of the fire said a "sparkler in an alcoholic drink" was to blame for the blaze.
No one was reportedly hurt in the incident.
Videos show diners dashing toward exits as one member of staff throws a bucket of water over the towering flames.
The West Midlands Fire Service told BirminghamLive: "We made sure it was safe and completed damping down and cutting away of anything that wasn't safe.
