Hundreds of homes were evacuated in Oldbury after a huge fire broke out at a distillery on Monday.

The blaze, at the Alcohols Ltd factory, in Crosswells Road, Langley Green, started just before 10am after reports of an explosion.

About 100 firefighters were called out to the blaze, which took several hours to get under control. Fire crews were still dealing with the incident into the evening.

A man in his 20s was treated at the scene for burn injuries to his hands and back before being taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham.

The factory produces high-strength vodka and gin for the export market in traditional distilleries.

A 100 metre exclusion zone was placed around the scene and residents who were evacuated were told they would need police permission before they could return home.

Rail services between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stourbridge were hit after the closure of the nearby line.

Businessman Surinder Sohal said the flames were leaping 40ft to 50ft high into skies darkened by thick black smoke.

He said: “It’s really, really bad. You could feel the heat, even standing 300-400 yards away.”

The Langley Green distillery is situated in an early 19th Century Grade II-listed building. Inquiries into the cause of the blaze are expected to start on Tuesday.