POLICE believe a fire which threatened to blow up a petrol station yesterday morning may have been started deliberately.

As many as 30 people were evacuated from their homes shortly before 3am yesterday (December 23) as the blaze engulfed the car wash at the Total service station in Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green.

Around 20 firefighters spent more than an hour bringing the blaze under control and managed to prevent it from igniting the fuel pumps, despite the fire spreading from the car wash to the roof of the petrol station itself.

The garage remains closed while police and fire service investigations continue.

Anyone with information is urged to contact CID at Redbridge Police on 020 8345 2732, or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.