Police are investigating a “suspected arson” after a vehicle crashed into the front of the shop and was set alight.
Ten fire engines and 55 firefighters rushed to the scene in Sparkhill, Birmingham, early on Monday to tackle the rapidly spreading blaze.
Emergency responders were able to eventually bring the fire under control, and confirmed that no fatalities or injuries were sustained in the incident.
Images from the scene depicted the burnt-out back of a silver 4x4 that appears to have backed into a store selling fruit.
West Midlands police later confirmed that they were now looking into the cause of the incident, and investigating a case of “suspected arson.”
“It’s understood a vehicle hit the building. It was set alight, causing the shop and flats above to catch fire,” the statement said.
“Residents from the flats have been evacuated. Thankfully, no injuries have been reported.”
Local residents who witnessed the incident said the crash sounded like a “bomb” and that onlookers were left coughing because of the plumes of smoke.
Local property developer Isaac Zintaan said he was alerted to the fire by residents of his nearby premises after they told him they heard a “loud explosion”.
Mr Zintaan said he thought the fire was caused by a car which was set alight and rammed into a supermarket.
“I have a business close by… the residents of my premises heard a loud explosion – ‘like a bomb went off’ that’s what they described,” the 28-year-old from Sparkhill told the PA news agency.
“(When I arrived) everyone was coughing due to the intensity of the smoke.”
Mr Zintaan said it appeared a car had rammed the supermarket on the ground floor of the building and footage taken by him showed a Land Rover on fire with its rear to the property – as if having reversed into it.
West Midlands Fire Service, who attended the scene at around 4.55am, confirmed that the road remains closed but the fire is under control.
“This was a fire at the front of a retail shop, which spread to shop signage and the bay windows of flats above the shop. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the shop and flats to search for casualties,” the statement read.
“Five people from the flats had left their properties and received checks from attending paramedics. There were no casualties or injuries and everyone has been accounted for.
“Firefighters have made good progress at the scene and the fire is under control.”
