Birmingham tram cable incident causes explosion-like blast, city centre sealed off

On July 28, 2026, an overhead tram cable in Birmingham city centre near the junction of Bull Street and Corporation Street came loose, struck the ground and produced a loud, explosion‑like blast. Police and West Midlands Fire Service sealed off the area while the incident forced the suspension of West Midlands Metro services between St Chads and Edgbaston Village. Passengers were allowed to use their tram tickets on local bus routes.

Witness Ian Collins described diving clear of the swinging cable and hearing two successive blasts, saying he was “glad to be alive”. The Metro operator said a component failure was the likely cause and carried out emergency repairs, restoring tram service by the following morning. An investigation into the unusual failure is ongoing.