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Arson arrest after campervan explodes in street

Andrew BartonYorkshire
News imageBBC/Andrew Barton The image shows the aftermath of a vehicle fire on a residential street outside a row of terraced houses. The street is lined with parked vehicles. In the centre-right of the image is a severely burnt-out campervan. The vehicle is destroyed, with the metal frame exposed and blackened. BBC/Andrew Barton
A police cordon is in place in Beaconsfield Street in Acomb after a campervan was destroyed in an explosion

A man has described the moment a campervan erupted in flames after exploding in the street outside his home.

Bryar Kanq, 27, said the vehicle blast in Beaconsfield Street, Acomb, had shattered the window of the shop below his flat and left him feeling "shaken".

Another witness said he had heard a "huge boom" before emergency services arrived at the scene at about 23:20 BST.

North Yorkshire Police said a 58-year-old local man had been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the incident, which also caused damage to three vehicles and two buildings

Kanq lives above Headline Barbers, directly in front of where the campervan was parked.

Photos from the scene show the sign above the shop had been melted by the heat of the fire, while shattered glass can be seen on the floor outside.

Kanq, who owns the business, said: "I saw the flames then after that there was a big explosion. I was quite shaken.

"It was loud, a big fire. I couldn't get out of the front door, so I used the back door, moved my car and called 999."

News imageBBC/Andrew Barton The image shows the aftermath of a vehicle fire on a residential street outside a row of terraced houses. The street is lined with parked vehicles. In the centre of the image is a severely burnt-out campervan. The vehicle is destroyed, with the metal frame exposed and blackened. BBC/Andrew Barton
Vehicles parked nearby were also damaged and a barber shop window was shattered

Lawa, 29, a friend of Kanq, said: "He called me and I came, he was shaking. It's shattered his shop's front window."

Meanwhile, as a crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene on Friday morning, Liam, 35, said: "I live ten doors down and it was really loud.

"I'd just come in from playing sports and was getting washed and there was just a huge boom, it went over everything."

News imageBBC/Andrew Barton The image shows a residential street scene in daylight. A police van is parked on the road outside a row of terraced houses. On the right side of the image, two people are standing close together near the police vehicle. One man is wearing a bright red short-sleeved top with white stripes on the shoulders and light grey trousers. The other man, partially turned away, is wearing darker clothing.BBC/Andrew Barton
Residents who surveyed the scene of the explosion on Friday said there was "a great boom"

A police spokesperson said: "The white campervan was extensively damaged by the fire, and two cars parked nearby were partially melted.

"Nearby homes had damaged windows, and a business premise sustained damage due to the blaze."

The spokesperson said several households had to be evacuated as a safety precaution, but people were allowed back in their homes at about 23:40.

The force has appealed for witnesses or anyone with relevant CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage to come forward.

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