A street in Newport was left filled with smoke after a van burst into flames just a few metres from residents' front doors. The vehicle caught fire in Blenheim Road in Alway at around 3.15pm on Friday, September 2, with the street soon becoming "pitch black" as thick black smoke filled the air.
Resident Samia Rahman told WalesOnline that she was in her kitchen when her father raised the alarm about the fire. When she stepped outside, she saw her neighbour's van "completely engulfed" in flames as others on the street gathered outside their homes.
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Photos from the scene show plumes of smoke rising high above the houses on the street as flames consume the entire vehicle. Get the latest news from across Newport sent straight to your inbox for free by signing up to our newsletter.
"I was in the kitchen making cakes when I was told that there was a fire outside," said Samia. "I headed out onto the street and it was literally pitch black. I was confused, but I looked to my left and saw a grey Volkswagen van completely engulfed in fire.
"The street was completely filled with smoke and people were gathered outside. I think my first thought was just to make sure everyone in the houses that were next to the van got out."
Samia added: "I think my dad was one of the first people to see the fire, and he called the fire service who arrived around five minutes after that and put out the flames. I don't know exactly what caused it, but I'm guessing there must have been some sort of leakage which started the fire which spread across the van."
A nearby house reportedly suffered minor exterior damage as a result of the fire. However, thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have been contacted for comment.
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