04 Oct 2011
More than 3,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in Harrow, north-west London, after a fire tore through a mechanic’s yard containing a number of highly explosive gas cylinders.
London Fire Brigade confirmed that around 30 firefighters and six fire engines attended that blaze at a car workshop on Kenton Lane at approximately 6.30pm on Monday.
Although one of 25 suspected gas cylinders at the site exploded in the fire, an LFB spokesman confirmed that no-one was injured.
Families from up to 600 homes nearby were evacuated by police, council staff and fire officials, who were concerned that other gas canisters could explode.
Northolt Station Manager Turan Turan said: “It was a difficult job but crews worked incredibly hard to prevent the fire from spreading and managed to cool down the other gas cylinders and in doing so prevented further potential explosions.”
The workshop housed a number of propane cylinders and around five acetylene cylinders, which are particularly hazardous when exposed to heat.
Copyright Press Association 2011