Video: Tile Hill explosion: Neighbours tell of terrifying ordeal

Terrified residents feared for their lives after explosions shook their Coventry homes and flames lit up the night sky during a ferocious blaze.

People living in Boar Croft, Tile Hill, have spoken of their horror as a blaze at a workshop backing onto their gardens caused two gas canisters to explode and flames began to spread onto their property.

Three fire engines were scrambled to the site and 17 people had to be evacuated from their homes, with some put up in temporary accommodation, as firefighters tackled the blaze in neighbouring James Green Road from 9.30pm on Tuesday.

Around 10 cylinders containing propane, oxygen and acetylene were stored in a makeshift garden workshop which caught fire - prompting a major fire fighting operation which saw fire crews remain at the site until around 7am on Wednesday.

Dianne Bird, who lives on Boar Croft, said: I thought I was finished off. I know it sounds crazy but I didnt know what was going on, I panicked.

I looked out the bedroom window and then there was a big bang, I just cowered down in the bedroom. I didnt know what was going on out there.

Diannes neighbour Gill Raven, 67, lost her shed and fence as well as receiving damage to her greenhouse. Firefighters had to put a hose through her house in order to help tackle the flames at the back of her property.

She said: I had gone to bed early and I heard this explosion which I thought was fireworks at first.

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But then I saw the sky was completely orange and I jumped out of my bed and phoned the fire brigade and then phoned the neighbours.

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Video: Tile Hill explosion: Neighbours tell of terrifying ordeal