Paices Hill, Aldermaston evacuated following acetylene cylinder explosion

According to Steve Andrews, watch manager of White Watch at Tilehurst Fire Station, two pumps, including one from Tilehurst and another from Mortimer, were called at 5.30pm to Paices Hill in Aldermaston, to a fire in two wooden huts behind the travellers site, following an explosion:
“Once the cylinders start heating up they decompose inside and carry on heating up until there is an explosion - it can cause a massive fireball,” said Mr Andrews, adding
both huts were burnt to the ground.
Emergency services set up a 200m cordon and evacuated the area. No-one was hurt.
A police helicopter used thermal imaging cameras to assess the scene overhead, while the fire service also used thermal imaging cameras at ground level.
According to Thames Valley Police, a police officer driving past the site at 4.50pm noticed a large amount of smoke and heard an explosion on some wasteland near to the travellers site at Paices Hill.
A number of gas canisters appeared to have been set alight, according to police and a cordon and the A340 was closed near the site for several hours during the incident.
Police assisted the fire service in evacuating the travellers site and the nearby industrial estate.
West Berkshire Council was arranging any necessary temporary accommodation.
The fire was extinguished by about 7pm and the fire service left the scene at 11pm.