A RISK of explosion at a petrol station in Chislehurst has led to firefighters being on standby there for the past six hours.

The first crew from Sidcup fire station was called to the BP garage in Perry Street at about 1.45am this morning (January 3) after reports of an underground petrol tank leaking.

Their job is to make sure the area is safe while a specialist extraction team from BP drains the tank which reportedly contains 1,600 litres of fuel.

No-one has been evacuated from nearby homes.