Evacuated children scream in terror at ‘bang’ as bonfire explosion sparks caravan inferno
Families were forced to flee after a bonfire blazed out of control and set a caravan alight. Firefighters are wrapping up their efforts after taming the blaze at the Foxley Hotel in Milton, Stoke-on-Trent.
The drama unfolded with a loud explosion from a gas canister, followed by an empty caravan catching fire just before 8pm tonight (November 2).
A StokeonTrentLive reader, who was at the event with her kids, recounted: “They set the bonfire and doused it in petrol but the bonfire was set right next to a caravan and a gas canister. The gas canister went bang and the caravan set on fire.”
READ MORE: Met Office rules on Bonfire Night ‘frost’ as weather temps set to drop across UK
See all our fire-related news
“They tried to put it out with an extinguisher but it didn’t work. It was raging. They evacuated everyone. Children were screaming at children. It was awful.”
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service reported: “We were called to the Foxley Hotel after in Milton at 7.45pm after a bonfire spread to a disused caravan.”, reports Stoke on Trent Live.
“Crews from Hanley, Newcastle and Sandy ford attended. We are still at the scene but will be leaving shortly after the fire was brought under control. Thankfully there were no injuries.”
Writing on social media, The Foxley Hotel said: “Just to confirm, everybody is safe and sound. Our bonfire unfortunately spread to an empty caravan that was parked on our field.
“The fire has thankfully been put out. Apologies to anybody that came to watch the bonfire. Luckily the firework display had finished. Thankyou to the fire brigade that came to the rescue Where else can you go for 3 quid and have this sort of drama?”
One person commented on the news: “I attended this and as far as I was aware I didn’t hear any kids screaming but what I did witness was people ignoring instructions to get away and arguing with members of staff trying get people to safety but too many people would rather grab footage on there phones than be safe. Went last year and there was no issues just an unfortunate accident. Hope they are on next year.”
Another replied: “I live around the corner from the foxley kids were screaming at the end of cotswold Crescent hopefully with a bit of luck there won’t be one next year or any other type of events there.”
