GARAGE staff described how a delivery of potentially explosive bottles arrived just as they werebattling a garage fire in Bournemouth.

Two oxyacetylene bottles had caught fire – and seconds later a delivery driver parked outside with around 40 more on his van.

Motor apprentice Tom Smith, 19, said: “We were shouting ‘get out of the way’!

“He walked in and waved – and saw this massive flame and ran out and drove off.

“It was lucky that the van didn’t blow up because it would have taken out the whole street.”

The blaze at Cleveland Motor Services in Springbourne closed off Holdenhurst Road for three hours on Monday.

Dorset Fire Service said the fire had possibly been caused by a blowback.

Brother Jack Smith, 21, said: “I just turned round and saw the bottles on fire and went outside to get the hose.

“I was thinking it could blow. It was a bit scary. I was trying to spray some water on it.”

Tom added: “The flame was massive and it was going into the toilet.

“At first we were worried about trying to stop the fire spreading but our colleague was like ‘get out, it could blow up’.”

Two of the three bottles in one corner caught fire and burned themselves out.

The blaze destroyed the toilet and tea area, the overhead lights in the corner, the computer system, and left the wall in that corner blackened.

The four staff were unhurt and none of the six cars inside were damaged.

The garage was soon back open for repairs and MOTs.

Robin Smith, the brothers’ dad and owner of the garage for 26 years, said they were inundated with emails and phone calls from customers wishing them well.

He said: “We are managing but it’s a nightmare. We’ve never had anything like this before.

“We were very lucky – it could have been a lot worse.”

Mr Smith said the staff thanked the chief fire officer for the excellent work of the crews who attended.