Dozens of firefighters are battling a huge blaze at a Holiday Inn hotel in Walsall.
Video shows a huge plume of black smoke billowing out of the two-storey hotel near the busy M6 motorway.
Emergency services raced to the scene after receiving a 999 call at 3.54pm, Birmingham Live reported.
West Midlands Fire Service has described the blaze as "severe."
Over 50 firefighters and 10 fire engines are at the scene of the inferno in addition to two hydraulic engines.
Footage shot near the scene appears to show the hotel almost completely gutted by the fast-moving inferno.
The roof of the hotel seems to have been destroyed with charred debris left strewn downstairs.
A number of officers from the West Midlands Police have also attended.
People are being urged to avoid the area, with motorists on the M6 warned to expect delays.
Traffic experts say the motorway has been hit with long tailbacks.
Locals living nearby have been urged to keep all windows and doors shut as a precaution.
Pictures and video show how the huge smokestack can be seen for miles across the Black Country.
Social media users have expressed concern at the speed with which the hotel was destroyed.
Dan ‘Sting’ Ray, an operational safety adviser in the utilities industry, tweeted: “Another hotel fire. Without knowing much, this fire spread far too quickly. If this had happened during the night when hotel bedrooms are occupied this could of had fatalities.”
The West Midland Fire Service tweeted: "More than 50 firefighters are tackling a fire at a hotel near Junction 10 of the #M6 near Walsall.
"Our first crews were on the scene in under 5 minutes and we now have ten fire engines and two aerial platforms there.
It later added: "Crews working hard to bring fire under control at Holiday Inn off Junction 10 Walsall. Please keep all windows and doors shut due to smoke in the area, as a precaution only."
West Midlands Ambulance Services has crews on standby.
A spokesman said: “Our crews will be on standby given how big an incident it is for our colleagues from West Midlands Fire who are working hard to bring the fire under control.”
