Van bursts into flames in Cosham as children play football on field nearby

The explosive blaze took place shortly after 1pm in the car park by the King George V Playing Fields in Cosham.

Witnesses reported seeing flames erupt from the rear of the Transit-style van, which belonged to a building contractor and was laden with waste materials.

The fire spread rapidly and engulfed the cab of the parked vehicle, which has since been destroyed by the heat.

Firefighters from Cosham were scrambled to tackle the blaze, with officers using breathing apparatus and a hose reel to extinguish the flames.

Fire crews blocked off part of the Northern Road while they dealt with the incident.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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