Houses had to be evacuated and a road closed after a gas cylinder caught in a blaze was just minutes from exploding.

Firefighters called to the fire in London Road, Wickford, said the propane cylinder would have exploded within 15 minutes of them arriving.

They believe the force of the explosion would have blown half the house to pieces.

The road around the house was sealed off for 90 minutes while four fire crews tackled the blaze, which started in a shed.

Four jets of water were used to control the flames and reduce the temperature of the cylinder as it neared bursting point.

Station officer Julian Ashley, of Basildon fire brigade, said: "When we arrived the cylinder was already leaking gas.

"That was because the heat had started to make the gas expand and the safety valve had kicked in.

"It was in a very dangerous condition. Our priority was to cool down the cylinder before the pressure became too much and it exploded. If the cylinder had blown it would have become a missile and part of the house would have been destroyed."

The flames from the garden shed spread to nearby fences and neighbouring sheds.

Residents of the four houses surrounding the garden were evacuated while the area was made safe.

An investigation has been launched to establish the cause of the fire, which is not being treated as suspicious.

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