Seventy firefighters tackle blaze in empty Lozells shop

Police said they were called to the scene shortly before 15:00 GMT

A major route into Birmingham city centre has shut due to a huge fire in an empty property.

About 70 firefighters tackled the blaze on the ground floor of the three-storey building on Villa Road at the junction with Soho Road in Lozells.

Soho Hill was closed both ways and people were urged to avoid the area due to a heavy build-up in traffic.

West Midlands Fire and Rescue said the building was used by rough sleepers but all persons had been accounted for.

The service added crews had fully searched the ground and second floors of the mixed-use commercial building and were completing searches of the first floor.

A spokesperson said investigations were ongoing into the cause of the blaze.

The fire service advised residents to keep doors and windows shut due to smoke

Emergency services were called to the scene at about 14:50 GMT.

Road closures were put in place in both directions at Villa Road, Hamstead Road and Soho Road, West Midlands Police said.

West Midlands Ambulance service attended, but the fire service confirmed it was no longer at the scene.

Residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut as the building was "heavily smoke-logged".