Dramatic pictures show the scale of a large fire which engulfed a North East petrol station.
Huge plumes of smoke could be seen for miles around, with concerned residents fleeing the area for safety.
Firefighters rushed to the Esso petrol station on Heworth Road, Washington, at around 3.25pm on Tuesday.
A motorbike is believed to have caught fire and spread to a nearby petrol pump, however the blaze was quickly isolated by firefighters on the scene.
Read more: Family lucky to be alive after fleeing terrifying blaze at petrol station
Describing the shocking ordeal to The Northern Echo, mother-of-four Jordan Brown said: “I was inside the petrol station paying for my petrol when my husband started beeping the car horn to get my attention.
“When I turned around I saw the pump go up in flames with a loud bang.”
The family fled into the shop on the forecourt as their car was dangerously close to the blaze.
“We ran into the shop because we didn't want to run in front of the fire as we didn't know how long it was going to take for it to actually blow up properly,” Mrs Brown said.
Firefighters who came to the family’s rescue to how they were lucky to survive without any injuries, but Mrs Brown said the memories of the incident will haunt the family.
She said: “We're so thankful that we're all still here because it could have been so much worse. One of the firemen has said that had it been any longer the car and the rest of the place would have gone up too.”
A spokesperson for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: "Our crews responded to a fire at Esso Petrol Station on Heworth Road in Washington following a call at 15.26pm. Two appliances attended the scene.
"Upon arrival, crews found a motorbike had caught alight and spread to a petrol pump. The supply to other pumps was quickly isolated and the petrol station evacuated as a precaution.
“Thankfully nobody was reported to have been injured and the fire was safely extinguished by firefighters before we left the scene at 3.56pm.”
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