A Northfleet man and his elderly father were forced to flee their home and stay with neighbours after fearing a 40ft tall fire would reach their property.
Paul Hawkes, 47, of Dene Holm Road, was watching TV at about 11.15pm when a massive garage fire erupted in Rembrandt Drive on Wednesday night (May 25).
The garage blaze is thought to have been caused by up to 40 gas canisters.
Paul Hawkes
In what he describes as a “horrible” night, Mr Hawkes and his 88-year-old father went across the road to stay with neighbours after being told by them to leave the house.
He told News Shopper: “I heard a bang and I thought it was fireworks so I just stayed in bed.
“It was getting louder so I looked outside and saw a massive fire and I froze for a second – it just exploded, and I ran into the backroom.
“My dad called me, he sleeps downstairs, I came down. Then there was a knock on the door from a neighbour who lives five doors down and she said, ‘get out, something’s landed in my garden from that explosion.’”
He added: “I rushed in and told my dad to get his dressing gown and slippers on. By that time, someone else knocked on my door, people across the road, and they took us over to their house.
Emergency servies in Rembrandt Drive
“As we were walking there, there was another explosion. We stayed there for about two hours until it all calmed down.”
Kent Fire and Rescue Service sent two fire engines to Rembrandt Drive to deal with the blaze.
The fire was put out by about 1.30am but they were on the scene for over eight hours – leaving at 7.30am.
Mr Hawkes said: “It was a horrible night. With my heart racing, it seemed a lot longer than two hours. We actually thought the fire was going to come through and reach us.
“But, it didn’t even scorch the wooden fence next door.”
A woman, known as Dianne, also of Dene Holm Road, was woken up by the explosion.
She added: “It must’ve been 40ft tall – it woke me up and it was just frightening - it really, really scared me.
“The fire brigade told me to keep away from the windows at the back of my house because they were so hot.
“It was bang after bang. It woke me up and I went back to sleep at about 2am.
“I felt a bit unnerved last night because this stuff never happens here.”
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