Firefighters tackle garage blaze

Residents had to leave six nearby houses

A Nottinghamshire garage has been badly damaged and several vehicles destroyed after gas cylinders exploded in a fire.

Emergency services from Hucknall, Mansfield and Ashfield tackled the blaze at D & M Motors on Main Road in Kirkby Woodhouse on Monday night.

Firefighters spent almost five hours tackling the flames. Dozens of gas cylinders and oil drums exploded, but no-one was injured.

Residents in six nearby homes were evacuated during the fire.

Mark Dooley, from Ashfield Fire Station, said there were 13 liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, two large acetylene cylinders and a dozen 45-gallon oil tanks on the site - and some of them exploded during the fire.

"The fire was so severe we had to use an aerial platform to fight the flames," he said.

Five cars were destroyed but another dozen on the forecourt of the garage were saved.

Fire and police investigation teams are trying to determine the cause of the blaze.