HOMES and business were evacuated today over fears a gas canister could explode following a fire in a garage.

Around 20 residents, and a small number of industrial premises, were evacuated following the blaze at a residential garage, in Upper Ash Mount, in the Cloughfold area of Rawtenstall, at around 5.45am.

Fire crews were called to deal with the blaze and found an acetylene cylinder in the garage, which could have caused a major explosion.

Jeff Oldham, who owns the house and garage where the blaze started, said he thought the fire had been caused by a fault with his car.

Police and council chiefs were called in following the discovery and a 200-metre exclusion zone was put in place.

Bacup Road, from the centre of Waterfoot to Peel Street, was closed until around 11am.

Residents in Upper Ash Mount and Victoria Street who had nowhere else to go went to a rescue centre set up by Rossendale Borough Council at the old fire station, in Burnley Road, Rawtenstall.

Firefighters spent sev-eral hours cooling the cylinder and testing it before residents were allowed to return to their homes at around 1pm, and business were given the all-clear to re-open.

Tony Spencer, watch man-ager at Rossendale Fire Station, said: “It caused quite a lot of disruption, especially with the road closures, but everything was done for public safety.

“These cylinders can become quite dangerous, so we had to take precautions,” he added.

Residents living opposite the site of the blaze, in Bacup Road, were asked by police to remain indoors, and at the back of their properties, in case of an explosion, due to fears it could cause glass in doors and windows to shatter.

Mr Oldham said: “I had been on holiday with my wife and grandson near Great Yarmouth, but I had to return last night for work, as I’m a contract engineer.

“I parked the car in the garage at about 10.30pm, then when I woke up at about 5.30am I noticed some banging sounds while having a shave, then saw black smoke coming from the garage.

“The garage has been empty for a week, and there are no signs of anybody having broken in, so I think it has to be the car.

“There were two cars parked in the garage and the fire has caused a lot of damage.”

Stephen Pollitt, a Bacup Road resident, said: “The police knocked on the door and explained the situation and asked us to stay in the rear of our properties and stay away from windows and doors.

"It was quite scary, but they kept us informed and told us when it was safe to go out.”

Mary Rollings, another resident, said: “We were told to stay in the back of the house for a few hours.

“It was very worrying,” she added.