Man flees fire in his flat

Wayne Robertson, of Joyce Close, The Gaer, Newport, escaped with minor injuries from a blaze that tore through his home.

Police described the fire, which started at around 3.30pm, as "substantial".

Inspector Pete Davies said: "Someone was carrying out repairs to a motorbike in the living-room of the flat when the pilot light of a gas appliance ignited the petrol fumes, causing an explosion.

"The flat was extensively damaged and the fire is being treated as an unfortunate accident."

The fire was so intense that neighbours in the same block of flats as Mr Robertson had to be evacuated until the flames were brought under control by the fire service shortly before 4pm.

Beryl Winters, an elderly neighbour, was taken to the city's Royal Gwent Hospital with chest pains.

Her condition last night was described as "comfortable".

Mr Robertson was understood to be staying with friends last night.

Kathy Tyley was one of the neighbours who had to be evacuated from the block of flats.

She said: "I was doing my knitting and, to be honest, I didn't hear the fire start up, or the people outside my flat calling for me and chucking pebbles at my window.

"Then a man called Steve Davies, who happened to be passing by when he saw the fire, came banging on my door to get me out of my flat.

"Then I went downstairs to help an elderly man called Fred out of his flat while Steve went upstairs to get Beryl out of her flat.

"When we were all outside there was this big bang and I thought the whole block was going to go down.

"It was very frightening and I thought it was a gas explosion.

"Having seen the damage the fire caused, I thought, 'Oh my God, how did he (Wayne) live through that?"

Ms Tyley added: "I would really like to thank Mr Davies for helping me and my neighbours get out of the block."

Council workers spent much of yesterday evening boarding up the broken windows of the flat, which was left with extensive fire and smoke damage throughout.