How did some houses survive the Stourbridge fire while neighbours lost everything?

The stark difference between neighbouring properties can make the destruction difficult to comprehend for many people.

But for fire safety expert Dr Tony Fogarty, there are many reasons why one home can be engulfed in flames while another is barely touched.

Wind, intense heat and burning embers can all affect how a fire moves, meaning two neighbouring houses can experience very different conditions.

One of the biggest factors is what lies between a fire and a building, Fogarty explained.

“You might have one property which may have fences, shed, decking, loads of dried vegetation,” he told BBC Radio WM’s Trish Adudu.

“The house next door may have patios and may not have any sheds next to the building, and then essentially that forms a firebreak and can initially stop that fire in its tracks as it moves up the garden.”

This could explain why the damage can appear so uneven, even between neighbouring properties, Fogarty said.