Dramatic moment fire destroys two houses after ‘almighty’ explosion sent manhole covers shooting into the air
- A large fire in Woolton Hill, Hampshire ripped through two family homes
- A resident described seeing smoke and manhole covers flying through the air
- The blaze, which started on Tuesday ignited heating oil tanks in water drains
This is the moment a huge fire ripped through two houses in a Hampshire village and sent manhole covers flying on Tuesday night.
The blaze began around 8:10pm at a home in Woolton Hill, near Newbury, and reportedly ignited heating oil tanks which got into the water drains before an explosion with the fire spreading to a neighbouring property.
Firefighters were called to the incident and were able to contain the spread of the fire to prevent it reaching nearby National Trust woodland The Chase.
The large fire started on Tuesday night at Woolton Hill near Newbury in Hampshire
Two houses were left destroyed in the aftermath of the blaze that was seen for miles around
Villager Fiona Bennett, 58, told the Mirror she heard an ‘almighty boom…and people were running, absolutely running.
‘I wear a hearing aid because my hearing is very poor, so it must have been loud.
‘And after that we heard what sounded like metal and I now know that was manhole covers banging up into the air and landing.’
Twenty people were reportedly evacuated from their homes as firefighters tackled the blaze
Ms Bennett, who was dog walking at the time, added: ‘It’s very dry and a big wooded area. There are some very old trees in The Chase so that would have been terrible if they’d caught fire.’
Around 20 residents were evacuated from their homes as ten pumps, two water carriers and 50 fire fighters were dispatched to battle the fire.
Residents reportedly gathered nearby to watch the incident unfold, despite government guidance to stay indoors amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Villagers reported seeing manhole covers flying through the air as the houses burned
Fellow resident Sophie Walker said: ‘Before the emergency service crews got to the village a lot of people were walking, driving and cycling towards the fire to record and take pictures,’
She added: ‘I could hear the crackling of the fire and the smoke getting worse, more thick and more black,’ she told the Mirror Online.
‘Then within 10 minutes of standing outside I heard a few loud bangs and I had no idea what it was but the smoke and flames got reasonably worse after them.’