This is Nottingham --A TOWN came to a standstill when fire ripped through a shelving factory.
Workers were evacuated and dozens were kept from their homes after fears spread that an explosion could take place.
More than 30 firefighters were called to the blaze at Midland Shelving in Coventry Road, Bulwell, yesterday at 11.35am.
Trams and trains were stopped and 13 bus services were diverted away from the area, causing disruption throughout the town.
Ken Tompkin, owner of nearby Tompkin Press, in Coventry Road, was evacuated along with his staff shortly after the fire broke out.
He said: "I went out to see it and the flames were a good 20 foot above the building.
"The roof was exploding with the heat. We realised straight away it was a serious situation."
Seven fire crews from Stockhill, Arnold, and Hucknall, as well as specialist officers, were called to the building.
Residents were told to shut their windows and to wait while emergency services attended the scene.
A fire hose stretched over 100 metres through Main Street to get to the site.
A 200-metre exclusion zone was put in place at the scene because an acetylene gas cylinder was involved in the fire.
A police cordon was placed along Coventry Road after concerns spread the cylinder could explode, putting lives at risk.
The cordon affected around 200 houses and 30 flats.
Housewife Donna Carlisle, 47, of Quarry Avenue, Bulwell, said she saw the billowing clouds of smoke as she returned home from the shops just after the flames broke out.
She said: "When I came down, there were fire engines and jet black plumes of smoke and red hot flames.
"We went a bit further up the road and were told to move back in case it explodes.
"It was getting out of control and was really scary."
Betty Potts, 77, of Cinderhill Road, was told to wait by the cordon while the emergency services secured the site.
She said: "When we saw the ambulances, I just hoped that nobody had been injured. It was frightening, that's what really got to me."
The fire was brought under control by 4pm and transport services returned to normal at around the same time, but traffic jams and disruption continued for several hours.
A spokeswoman for Notts Police said the fire was not believed to be suspicious.
No one was hurt during the incident. Reported by This is 1 hour ago.