HUNDREDS of residents were forced to abandon their homes in fear of a gas explosion.

More than 500 houses were evacuated during a huge fire in a Toxteth car yard.

Dozens of tyres caught alight sending plumes of acrid black smoke into the air.

Fire fighters ordered all houses within 250m to be cleared when they found acetylene cylinders among the flames.

They were called to the blaze in Beaumont Street just before 4.30pm yesterday.

Residents were told it could be more than 24 hours before they were allowed to return home.

Retired shopkeeper Ali Qadar, 75, was ordered to leave his home in nearby Swindale Close.

He said: “There was this knock on the door and they were telling us all to leave. There was no choice. We just had to go.”

Sharon Fricker, 47, was leaving her house in Beaumont Street to collect her son Kofi, when she was told she would not be allowed to return to the street.

She said: “I had no choice because I had to go and collect him but I didn’t have the chance to grab anything.

“This is not the first time there has been a fire in this area.

“If this is being done deliberately then people need to think about the consequences.

“Luckily this is a nice quiet community so everyone gets on and is able to help one another.”

Fire fighters were called to a similar fire in the same street on Wednesday.

A huge pile of tyres caught alight at the Caribbean Car Parts depot, also on Beaumont Street, just before 8pm.