Telford blaze destroys car and caravan
A Telford mother today described a "large ball of fire" which engulfed a neighbour's caravan, car and shed on a quiet residential street.
Tammy Rutherford at home in West Avenue, Trench, Telford, when she, her husband and their four children were woken by a loud bang.
The fire broke out at a home in nearby Furnace Lane, and Mrs Rutherford said there were a series of further explosions, adding that flames almost spread to cars on the opposite side of the road.
Firefighters from Telford and Wellington rushed to the scene at about 1.15am yesterday and spent about an hour bringing the blaze under control.
Mrs Rutherford, whose home backs on to Furnace Lane, said: "I opened the blind and all I could see was a large ball of fire.
"There were sparks everywhere and an alarm ringing so I immediately thought a car was on fire.
"I shouted to my daughter to call the fire brigade and then we went round to see if there was anything we could do to help. There was one loud explosion after another and the flames were spreading so far they were almost hitting the cars on the other side of the road.
"It was all very tense. The fire brigade got here very quickly but there were still these explosions happening when they arrived. I think some of the bangs were the tyres exploding.
"Both the car and caravan have been destroyed as well as all the guttering."
Another neighbour, who did not want to be named, added: "I've never seen anything like it. The flames were huge and sparks were flying everywhere."
A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said an investigation would be carried out.
"It is to early to say how the fire started," he added.
Meanwhile firefighters from Wellington and Telford were called to a campervan fire just after 10am yesterday in Wellington Road, Donnington.
Police said the two fires were not related. An investigation is to be carried out.
