West Quay: Truck fire at Southampton shopping centre accidentally caused by exploding cylinders

Police were called to a vehicle fire at Westquay Shopping Centre on Harbour Parade, Southampton at 9.37am. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said the vehicle contained "cylinders that exploded," leading to the blaze.

In their latest update, the fire service confirmed that the scene had been handed over to the police. “The fire completely destroyed the vehicle and caused heat and smoke damage to the entrance of the West Quay car park," the service explained. "Ventilation fans were deployed to clear the remaining smoke. We would like to thank everyone for their patience and cooperation during this incident.”

A spokesperson for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary also confirmed that the Harbour Parade has now reopened, and police are no longer present at the scene.

According to the BBC, the workmen who were involved in the incident were not in the vehicle at the time of the fire and subsequent explosion. It is believed the men were painting road markings nearby when the incident occurred.

A spokesperson for Westquay said: "We can confirm that an incident occurred near the Podium car park entrance at Westquay this morning. Fire services were quickly in attendance, and this is now a matter for the authorities, and we are supporting them with their enquiries. The safety and security of our shoppers and colleagues is always our top priority.”