A GAS cylinder exploded during a huge dockland fire in Liverpool.
While firefighters battled the blaze an exploding gas cylinder shot out of the fire.
Fragments landed around 300m from the base of the fire, narrowly missing police officers.
The blast could be heard in Wallasey, with the flames also visible from Wirral.
Fire crews and police immediately pulled back and set up a 300m cordon around the fire.
The blaze was in a yard on the bottom of Dublin Street, near Regent Road, just before 11pm on Friday. Police closed Great Howard Street down to Leeds Street.
It was feared another gas cylinder could be buried in the 30ft flames.
The business is owned by Michael Slinger, who said: “It’s just terrible, I came as soon as someone from the Heritage Market next door called me.”
The yard had recon-ditioned pallets inside.
