Families in Little Walden, Essex, have been told to keep their windows shut after a car without an MOT burst into flames, destroying a family home and sending thick smoke into the air.
Ten fire engines and a water bowser were required to bring the blaze under control due to a poor water supply in the area. Firefighters were drafted in from neighbouring counties Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to tackle the fire, which also engulfed a workshop.
Vehicle on MOT ramp burst into flames
The vehicle concerned was on the MOT ramp at D&K Vehicle Services when it burst into flames. Company director and mechanic Callum Ogborn said the Japanese campervan had failed its test four days earlier.
He told the BBC: ‘We just had to get out the building and there was nothing more we could do – we all just had to stand there and watch our entire workshop burn to the ground.’
‘Absolutely soul-destroying’
The garage owner said work done by his family to build up the business over the last 10 years had been taken away. ‘It’s absolutely soul-destroying’, he said.
Two vehicles were completely destroyed in the inferno, while another six were severely damaged in the extreme heat, he said.
Challenging operation due to acetylene cylinders
Essex County Fire and Rescue service said the operation was ‘particularly challenging’ because of the presence of acetylene cylinders.
Group manager Andy Message said: ‘Firefighters have worked extremely hard with the support of crews from neighbouring counties in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to extinguish the fire.
‘We are now in a position to scale the incident down and have crews remaining to monitor and cool hotspots.’
