Residents on a quiet residential street in Oldham were enveloped by smoke after a caravan caught fire this morning.
Fire service crews rushed to the blaze, on Montgomery Street in Hollinwood, at 9:30am today (May 23). Videos taken by residents show a large fire broke out, which the MEN understands started in a caravan.
A spokesperson for the fire service has since confirmed the fire involved a property, an outbuilding, a car, and a caravan. Residents also reported a ‘gas explosion’.
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“We just saw the smoke,” Yvonne Errock, a Montgomery Street resident for 40 years, said.
“We came outside and saw the fence was on fire. There was an explosion, too.
“The gas cylinder in the caravan exploded. The fire brigade came and I rang the owner of the property. It’s empty. It was up for sale and it’s been sold now.”
Another resident, who asked to stay anonymous, added: “We saw smoke everywhere, even at the back of the house. I rang 999. We went out and moved our cars then.
“The owner has a caravan. It’s an older guy, and the police told us to get out because of the gas cylinder.”
The incident sparked a big police and fire service presence, with six cop cars and three fire engines present at its height.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said: “Just before 9.30am this morning, three fire engines from Oldham central, Chadderton and Blackley fire station along with the Technical Response Unit from Ashton were called to reports of building fire involving a property on Montgomery Street, Oldham.
“Crews arrived quickly at the scene. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatuses are using four hose reels to extinguish the fire.
“Some neighbouring properties have been evacuated as a precaution. Firefighters have been in attendance for around an hour and fifty minutes and are still at the scene.”
No injuries have been recorded so far, they added. The incident is very out of keeping, according to Yvonne.
She went on: “It’s a lovely street, it’s a real community, we saw the smoke and rushed out straight away.
“We have a little message group and if anything goes on we put it in there. You work hard, save up, and then this happens”
Umar Rashid, 21, agreed with that notion. The resident of six years said:.I love this area. Nothing like this happens, it is just old people. It’s unheard of for this street to be locked off like this.”
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