A huge explosion erupted outside Westquay Shopping Centre in Southampton, sending a plume of black smoke soaring into the sky and startling nearby commuters during the morning rush.
Emergency services rushed to the scene as several individuals were swiftly evacuated from the shopping centre’s food hall as a precaution. Images circulating show firefighters tackling the van’s burnt-out shell just outside the busy mall, reports the Mirror.
The cause of the blast remains unknown. The Southern Daily Echo captured the reaction of witness Emily Robinson: “It is a big pillar of smoke. It looks like quite a large fire. There seemed to be at one point a big bang.”
She added: “That could have come from the fire. There was a fire engine that came down at speed past the bus I was on, so the fire crew are on their way. I was just wondering what was really going on. Especially because we have had so many fires recently.”
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