 AT least 500 revellers fled for their lives as a blaze tore through a famous Birmingham nightclub. Edwards No.8, one of the landmark rock clubs in the city centre for the past two decades, was gutted in the blaze. Firefighters are now on watch in case the shell of the building collapses. They were also trying to establish the cause of the blaze amid suggestions that it may have been started by someone setting off a firework inside the building. Clubbers first spotted smoke in the men's toilets on the third floor of the nightspot, in Lower Severn Street, at 1.12am yesterday. But flames quickly spread across the top floor and roof as hundreds of people, mainly aged between 18 and 30, ran from the building. Ten revellers suffered smoke inhalation and were ushered to a makeshift first aid centre in the neighbouring Gala Casino, where paramedics dealt with the injured. Gary Yendell, West Midlands Fire Service spokesman, said more than 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at the height of the fire and smoke was still billowing at lunchtime yesterday. "The fire became severe very quickly and we had to get ten fire crews from across the city," said Mr Yendell. "The nightclub was in use at the time but the evacuation went well. We think there were around 500 people in the club and ten were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. "It must have been very frightening for everyone but the door staff worked well to get everyone out." Mr Yendell added: "The whole roof and third floor was destroyed, but there is terrible structural damage and parts of the building have already collapsed. "We won't be seeing this building in use again, which is a real shame as Edwards was an institution in Birmingham and even I went there in my teens." Edwards No.8 attracted a host of rock bands and was one of the most popular spots in town at weekends. What are your memories of Edward's No 8? Contact us at www.birminghammail.net/news/yoursay | 
