A JOINT investigation has been launched by the police and fire service into the second explosion to cause widespread disruption within a week.

The blast at a garage on Kemble Street in Prescot, led to around 80 homes being evacuated and around 17 people staying overnight at Prescot County Primary School.

The explosion could be heard miles away, as a cylinder ignited causing a pile of tyres to burst into flames, spreading smoke across the town. A second bang was heard as the blaze took hold.

At its height, more than 50 firefighters and 14 appliances were sent to the scene of the blaze. An aerial platform was also called into action.

One eyewitness said the inferno left around ten cars within the compound, ‘burned out, mangled wrecks’.

Firecrews from across St Helens and Liverpool attended the scene and remained on site damping down until Tuesday morning (October 25). They will have to dig beneath the source of the fire for extra safety.

Roads surrounding the site also re-opened on Tuesday, but a cordon remained in place for several hours.

Police confirmed that officers were called to the garage at around 7.40pm to help with the evacuation of homes within 100 metres of the property.

A spokeswoman said: “It is not known at this stage whether the fire was started deliberately.”

The explosion in Prescot follows another in Sutton after gas canisters were deliberately set alight close to a railway line. More than 100 homes were evacuated and rail services were severely disrupted. It is not believed that the incidents are linked.

See footage of the fire in Prescot at sthelensstar.co.uk