Gas cylinders explode in suspected arson attack

Weighty gas cylinders exploded into the sky after a suspected arson attack at a heavy goods vehicle depot in Poyle last night.

Five machines used to paint white lines and a transit van, portable generator and a car were on fire at the depot in Colndale Road.

The line-painting machines each carried approximately five propane gas cylinders weighing between 25-45kg, which started ‘popping’ into the sky as fire crews arrived at about 7pm.

Watch manager Pete Farmer, based at Langley fire station, described the dangerous blaze as looking like a ‘spectacular firework display’.

“There was a high risk of injury from the projectiles venting off,” he said.

“The cylinders were being propelled into the dark and you know it is up in the air somewhere but you cannot see where it is coming down.”

No-one was injured in the operation but much of their kit was contaminated with diesel and oil from the burning vehicles, he added.

Five fire crews from Langley, Slough, Maidenhead and Reading attended the incident along with an aerial appliance machine from Slough used to shoot large volumes of water from above.

They stopped the blaze reaching the admin office, though some of the exterior plastic was charred. They saved a further seven vehicles from being destroyed.

The crews left at about 11pm.