Driver leaps clear of Telford van inferno
One minute removal firm boss Scott Morgan was sitting in his van looking at Facebook on his phone – the next minute he was leaping out as the vehicle became engulfed in flames in Telford.
Mr Morgan was waiting in the van as two of his staff at SM Removals carried out a garden clearance job at a house in Waltondale, Woodside, yesterday afternoon.
He smelt smoke – and minutes later he watched in horror as flames completely engulfed the van and left it a shell.
Mr Morgan said: "I was just waiting for the lads in the van. I was on my phone looking at Facebook.
"I could smell burning but I didn't think anything of it. I just thought somebody was having a bonfire in their back garden or something.
"The next thing I knew, the lads came racing out of the garden shouting there was smoke everywhere. I noticed it was coming through the stereo and ventilator and quickly jumped out.
"We tried to get the bonnet open to see where it was coming from but we couldn't.
"About 90 seconds later it just went up, I had never seen anything like it. The van was a right mess, it was completely gutted."
Mr Morgan said fire chiefs told him the blaze could have been caused by an electrical fault or engine problem.
"I just feel lucky it didn't happen while I was driving," Mr Morgan said. "With how quickly it went up, I would have been a goner."
A fire crew from Telford Central attended at about 1.10pm yesterday. Police were also in attendance.
A spokesman for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called to reports of a van fully involved in fire in Telford. Our crew were on the scene for about an hour making sure the area was safe."
