Watch: Fireball erupts over shopping centre as truck explodes
Dramatic footage taken on Wednesday morning at Westquay in Southampton, Hampshire, shows the moment the white vehicle burst into flames with a 'loud bang'.
A ball of flames then erupted over the shopping centre – prompting the complex to be evacuated as plumes of 'thick' black smoke rose into the air.
Body Shop worker Stephanie Vella said she saw someone being 'pulled away' after he ran towards the smoking vehicle, worried someone was still in there.
The 25-year-old said she was just arriving for work at around 9.35am when it went up in flames.
She said: 'I was coming in, just paid for my parking, then went to get my ticket and then saw some smoke came from the van with another lady that was there. Then I called my manager and said, 'I think there's a car that's on fire'.
'It then caught in a really big flame. As we were on the phone, it exploded. It was loud and very, very hot. You could hear it on the other side of the phone as well.'
Her manager, Jordan Padley, 25, said: 'I heard it through the phone, it was like something out of a movie.'
Miss Vella said she could 'feel the heat hit my face when it went up' from where she stood across the road. 'Then the tyres, or tyre caps, started exploding off. All four wheels went individually, and then we all jumped back.'
Emily Robinson was on her way to work when she heard a 'big bang' from the train station.
It is understood the food court at the shopping centre was evacuated as a siren in the car park was sounded.
Delivery driver Sheikh Emad Uddin Billal said: 'I noticed a car on fire with a crowd of people watching - I stopped my motorcycle to film.'
It is believed the truck that exploded was involved in painting lines on the road. Paint drums of the sort used to make road markings could be seen on the back of the vehicle.
What appeared to be charred gas canisters were pictured amidst the burnt-out framework of the truck.
Acculine, which specialises in painting line markings on roads, confirmed the vehicle belonged to the company.
A spokesperson said the driver is 'okay'. The firm raised the possibility of an issue with a gas canister but added it was unsure of the cause of the explosion.
A spokesperson for Westquay said: 'We can confirm that an incident occurred near the Podium car park entrance at Westquay this morning. Fire services were quickly in attendance, and this is now a matter for the authorities, and we are supporting them with their enquiries.
'The safety and security of our shoppers and colleagues is always our top priority.'
A Hampshire Fire Service spokesman said the blaze 'involved a vehicle containing cylinders that exploded'.
'The fire completely destroyed the vehicle and caused heat and smoke damage to the entrance of the Westquay car park,' he added.
'The fire has been confirmed as accidental, and the scene has now been handed over to the police.'
Hampshire Police said: 'This was a vehicle fire on Harbour Parade, Southampton, reported at 9.37am today. The fire service led on this incident and police assisted with road closures. There were no injuries.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
a few seconds ago
- Otago Daily Times
Art classes lead to exhibition
Residents of Dunedin's Highview Rest Home have been exploring their creativity for the past couple of years with the encouragement and guidance of local artist Siau-Jiun Lim. Their efforts will be showcased, alongside a selection of paintings and portraits by Lim, in the exhibition "Together Through Art", which runs from today to July 23 at the Dunedin Community Gallery, 26 Princes St. In weekly art classes, up to a dozen residents have worked to discover their preferred painting techniques — using brushes, sponges, spatulas and even cabbage tree leaves and seagull feathers in their work. Lim said it had been a wonderful experience to work with the residents and to see their confidence and willingness to experiment grow through the painting workshops. "Sometimes the techniques have been the result of adapting to disability, and that flexibility has led to some great results," she said. "I have learned a lot from these seniors — initially, I thought that painting and creativity had to be very intentional, but that isn't the case for everyone. "There can be very different approaches to painting, which produce some fascinating results. "I found that the residents are especially good at working from their imaginations, which has been exciting to see." Highview resident Edna Wheeler said it had been inspiring to explore different painting techniques and it had helped her to work around issues with her arms to create paintings. "I found painting with a sponge a lot easier, and have had a lot of fun making my art works," Mrs Wheeler said. "Working with Jiun has been great, and it's a good chance to enjoy some social time with everyone as well. "It's exciting that we are going to be exhibiting them publicly." During her time at the rest-home, Lim has brought her growing familiarity with each resident to life in a series of portraits, giving a sense of each personality. "I need to know the person when I do a portrait, so I can show who they are, and that has been a lot of fun," she said. Lim's portraits will be exhibited alongside the seniors' work at the community gallery from today. Lim said the ongoing art classes project had been inspired by her affection for seniors through her previous work in the aged-care sector, and the idea had been supported by Highview Rest Home manager Lee Nicol. "Lee made the process very easy to execute and has been supportive throughout," Lim said. Ms Nicol said the residents were thoroughly enjoying the art classes, and it had been fun to see their ideas take shape. "So, it's great that we are able to bring their work to community in the exhibition — we welcome everyone to come and join us." There will be an celebration for the "Together Through Art" exhibition at Dunedin Community Gallery on Friday at 2pm, and the showcase will continue until July 23. The residents' work will be raffled at the conclusion of the exhibition. The showcase has had funding support from Creative NZ.
Otago Daily Times
a few seconds ago
- Otago Daily Times
Review: Enthralling recital leaves audience breathless
The Star reporter Brenda Harwood Virtuosic flourishes executed throughout a programme of complex works kept a capacity Hanover Hall audience enthralled during Friday's recital by pianist Abhinath Berry. Home for a visit after his first year of post graduate studies at the Guildhall in London, Berry put his extraordinary talents to good work throughout an impressive performance. The programme began with Virtuoso Etudes, featuring well-known Gershwin melodies transcribed by American pianist Earl Wild, given a superb performance by Berry. He managed the many ornate and complicated passages with aplomb, while keeping the melodies singing through. Next up were three movements from Ravel's Miroirs/Reflections suite, in which Berry brought the many moods of the music to the fore — from rhythmic interludes to fiery passion — with precision. Moving into the realm of modern music, Berry introduced the audience to John Corigliano's intriguing Etude-Fantasy — a set of five studies exploring different aspects of piano sounds. From the incredible opening study involving only the left hand to the glissandos and ornamentation of the fourth study, and the gentle melodies of the final study, Berry gave a masterful performance of this unusual and absorbing work. As his final programmed piece, Berry showcased his virtuosic abilities in a thrilling performance of Liszt's fiendishly difficult Hungarian Rhapsody No9 ''Carnival in Pest''. Filled with dramatic flourish and fast-paced runs, the piece left the audience breathless and calling for more. Berry returned with a delightful Etude by Finnish composer Rautavaara to round out a truly superb performance. Bravo! PIANIST ABHINATH BERRY IN RECITAL Friday, July 11 Hanover Hall
Otago Daily Times
a few seconds ago
- Otago Daily Times
Focus on local govt role in food
Dunedin organisation Our Food Network is bringing its focus on local food security to the upcoming local body elections by asking candidates for their views on this important issue. Our Food Network chairwoman Robyn Zink said the group, which worked to improve community access to local food, was surveying Dunedin City Council (DCC) and Otago Regional Council (ORC) candidates for their thoughts on the role of local and regional councils in supporting food systems. "While there is a lot of food grown in the area, it is clear that our food systems are failing us," Ms Zink said. This led to children living in households without access to enough food, chronic health conditions and negative environment, biodiversity and climate impact, she said. In Otepoti, the amount of vegetable production on the Taieri had reduced from 232ha in 1949 to only 83ha in 2016, at the same time as the population had grown by about 40,000 people. This had led to an increasing reliance on food from elsewhere amid more frequent severe weather events and geopolitical instability. "We believe that local government has a key role to play in supporting thriving local food systems, and we are keen to hear what our candidates think about it," Ms Zink said. Surveys are being sent to candidates from this week, and their responses will be posted on the Our Food Network website for voters to read and absorb. "We are also urging people to ask candidates about local food systems during election forums," she said. "It is a chance to encourage both candidates and voters to think about it." There were a number of good local initiatives coming out of the DCC, including useful online resources on a broad range of topics, and it was important to encourage that. The council also provided funding towards Our Food Network, helping to support its work in the community. "One thing we would very much like to see is more co-ordination between the DCC and ORC around the work they are doing in this space." Our Food Network is preparing to hold its Annual General Meeting on August 26, and is working towards a local food-themed family-friendly event on October 5 at Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. "We are still in the planning stages, but we are hoping to provide a range of hands-on activities that will educate and entertain," Ms Zink said. Those might include food preservation workshops, learning where common foods come from, a biscuit "dunk off", scavenger hunts, other games and a lineup of speakers. Fruit Harvest Our Food Network, in conjunction with The Valley Project, ran another successful community fruit harvest programme over the summer, connecting people with excess fruit on their properties with volunteer pickers. The fruit was then distributed to local food banks, pātaka kai (food pantries), The Bowling Club and Yours cafe, and preserved during three public preserving workshops. During the season, 1703kg of fruit was picked from 45 properties by 91 volunteers — well down on the previous year, most likely due to the cool, wet summer, Ms Zink said.
