A BLAZE that led to the evacuation of 30 homes because of gas blast fears at the weekend is being treated as an arson attack, it has been revealed.

A 250-metre cordon was placed around wooden garages destroyed at Langley Crescent, New Kyo, near Stanley, County Durham, on Sunday morning.

Emergency services evacuated the area as a safety precaution when garage owner Kenneth Cribbin told firefighters an acetylene cylinder was in the fire.

Mr Cribbin, 59, told The Northern Echo how he was awoken at 4.45am on Sunday by the sound of cracking and banging.

He said: "I looked out my window and saw a blazing inferno. The flames were so high it even burned the telephone wires.

"I was still half asleep. It was a nightmare."

One of his neighbours, a woman in her 60s, managed to get her car out of adjoining garage, before it too was engulfed.

Mr Cribbin said: "When the fire brigade arrived I told them I had an acetylene cylinder the garage and they immediately evacuated the area." Residents of Langley Terrace and Croft Terrace, who were in the potentially explosive zone, were taken to a makeshift rescue centre at the Annfield Plain Community Centre.

Water jets were directed on the canister for 24 hours to ensure that the unstable gas did not explode.

Residents were not able to return home until yesterday (mon) morning.

The blaze destroyed three wooden garages two cars and a motorcycle.

Mr Cribbin said: "I have lost my car, ladders, tools, a new jack and transformer.

"Fire investigators have just left. They confirmed it was an arson attack.

"It would appear a back window to the garage was broken and an accelerant poured through."

Andie Mackay, group manager operations with County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Brigade has urged anyone who has unused or abandoned cylinders to contact environmental health to arrange their disposal, because they can represent a real threat to the safety of the public and firefighters.

A police spokesman said: "The scene has been examined by the crime scene investigation unit and the incident is now being treated as arson."

Anyone with information should contact the police on 0345-60-60-365.