Chef escapes with life after fire at Sparkhill restaurant

A chef managed to escape with his life after a serious fire broke out at Pranzo restaurant in Sparkhill, Birmingham.

The chef was asleep in the upstairs accommodation of the restaurant in Warwick Road when he was alerted to the fire by a smoke alarm just before 9am on Thursday 6 February.

Th fire was said to have started in one of the 5 rooms on the first floor of the restaurant which are used as accommodation.

The chef managed to escape through the rear door of the building and called West Midlands Fire Service for assistance.

A West Midlands Fire Service spokesman said:

“We received 18 separate calls to Warwick Road, shortly before 9am. Six engines, with 34 firefighters, were sent to the scene where they found a severe fire on the first floor of the Pranzo restaurant.

“The fire had also spread into the roof space.

“Police were called for traffic management and a hydraulic platform was also in use.

“By 10.17am the seat of the fire had been extinguished and teams with breathing apparatus were sent in to search the building.

“Crews are still in attendance at the restaurant fire on Warwick Road, Sparkhill. The fire, which was on the first floor, is now confirmed as out and we’re carrying out checks for hotspots and ventilating the property.

“Investigations into cause will start when it’s safe to do so.”