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East London neighbours flee homes over shop fire explosion fear | London Evening Standard

Thirty people fled their homes in east London over fears gas cylinders could explode during a five-hour blaze at a car repair workshop.

East London neighbours flee homes over shop fire explosion fear | London Evening Standard
East London neighbours flee homes over shop fire explosion fear

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Thirty people fled their homes in east London over fears gas cylinders could explode during a five-hour blaze at a car repair workshop.

Around 35 firefighters had to set up a cordon around the area in Colchester Avenue in Manor Park after the blaze started at 10.43pm last night.

People who lived nearby were only allowed home after the area was declared safe and the fire was brought under control just before 4am.

Station manager John Fahey who was at the scene said: “This was a difficult fire involving gas cylinders.

“Fire crews took quick effective action to contain the fire to the car repair workshops and thankfully stopped it spreading to nearby homes. The workshop was totally damaged by fire.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.