AN arson investigation has been launched after a workshop containing gas cylinders caught fire in a back garden.

The blaze broke out at 9.40pm on Thursday in Winchester Way, Breightmet.

Five neighbouring homes were evacuated after firefighters found a large timber-framed shed on fire with two acetylene cylinders and three oxygen cylinders inside and outside of the building.

Fire service station manager Ian Duckworth said: “Crews arrived and quickly put the fire out but, because of the presence of acetylene cylinders, they needed cooling to be made safe.

“If the cylinders are not cooled they can explode and cause a fireball of up to 25 metres high so, to protect people, we put a 75-metre cordon in place around the workshop, which meant seven people were evacuated from their homes.

Neighbour Marie Hawkins, aged 49, who was evacuated, said: “I saw an orange glow out of the window — it was a shed on fire. I knew there were gas canisters in there, so I grabbed my granddaughter and ran out of the house as fast as I could.”

“I heard another neighbour screaming, it was really scary.”

A woman living next door to the blaze house, who did not want to be named, said: “I was so scared I tried to run out of the house and slipped and cut my lip. I spent the rest of the night in hospital.”

Firefighters used water jets to cool the cylinders down and make the area safe before residents were given the go-ahead to return to their homes at around 12.30am yesterday.

The police investigation into the incident is ongoing.