Shoppers stranded by blast risk

People were told they could not return to their cars for 24 hours

Hundreds of people have been allowed back to their cars after being stranded overnight when a fire started close to gas cylinders.

Fire crews cordoned off a 200-yard exclusion zone around the cylinders, in Bar End, Winchester, Hampshire, on Saturday afternoon - including a park-and-ride car park.

Shoppers and visitors to the city centre had to wait until 1700 BST on Sunday before being allowed to return to their vehicles.

Some people were collected by friends and relatives, while others were put up in nearby hotels as part of the county council's emergency planning procedure.

Enforcing a 24-hour exclusion zone is a regular procedure if gas cylinders, in this case containing acetylene, are found near a fire.

Our car is in there and we can't get back to north Wales tonight Visitor to Winchester

Leading firefighter Paul jack, of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "These cylinders are very volatile and when they have been involved in fire they decompose.

"For about 24 hours afterwards these cylinders can cause similar effects to a bomb blast.

"It's not a decision we take lightly to shut down one whole section of Winchester."

The cylinders were just 50 metres from the park-and-ride car park.

"Our car is in there and we can't get back to north Wales tonight," one woman said.

"We're stuck in Winchester."

Barfield Close was closed in both directions until 1700 BST on Sunday, and all Sunday league football matches in the area were also cancelled.

The fire, which began in a small wooden building was brought under control in just 20 minutes.