A BLAZE that gutted a Barry Dock industrial unit has been described as like "something out of Hollywood” - with explosions and smoke seen from Rhoose.

Damien Jorgensen, the owner of Datsc on Woodham Road, Barry, described the “surreal” scene at the hanger style unit as it was engulfed by flames around 5.30pm yesterday.

Fire crews from Barry, Penarth and Ely, Cardiff, fought to contain the fire but their efforts were hampered by a lack of access to fire hydrants and insufficient water pressure - resulting in them having to draw water from the nearby dock.

The incident, which is estimated to have cost more than £200,000 worth of damage, saw five cars and a van – including a £20,000 1992 Mercedes which had only just been restored - completely destroyed, alongside all the workplace equipment.

The fire service, which had 35 firefighters on the scene, said the fire was accidental and the business is insured.

But the Romilly Huts structure has been declared unsound and in need of demolition.

Mr Jorgensen said the fire began when mechanic Anthony McDonald left the premises after finishing a welding job and going to the company’s other nearby unit to complete some paperwork.

Mr McDonald, 35, said: “I had welding a nut and I went to the other unit for five, 10 minutes and I came back and the car was on fire. I tried to douse it. The fire extinguishers didn’t help.”   

Mr Jorgensen, 35, added: “My first thought was to get the gas bottles out. There was a 20ft fireball coming out of the roof. There were explosions and the heat was phenomenal.

“It’s lucky we have two units and we were lucky because we used to store the cars there, but most of the cars were outside.

“The biggest issue was the lack of fire hydrants. They didn’t have enough pressure. They had to break the padlock on the fence and bring three pipes from the dock.”