AN Alton firefighter had a narrow escape when a cylinder of oxy-acetylene gas exploded "like a bomb going off" while he and his colleagues fought to contain a blaze at an outbuilding next to a remote house between Farringdon and Selborne on Sunday.

Four fire crews, from Alton, Bordon and Alresford, attended the blaze, at Hall Lane, with water carriers from Bordon and Basingstoke and a special equipment unit from Basingstoke.

A full version of this story will be found in the Alton Herald of March 24., 2000.