The High Street in Ross-on-Wye, near the Market Place was temporarily closed on Thursday, October 19th at 3.45pm, after a vehicle burst into flames.

A passerby, Frank, who was staying at Merton House on holiday from Birmingham, saw the smoke and flames and ran into Boots, grabbing the fire extinguisher.

Frank started to extinguish the car, slowlydowsing the flames, as Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene.

Arriving within minutes, the fire brigade started extinguishing the fire, whilst putting tape around the area to stop pedestrians who were still keen to walk past, despite the fire and the large amount of smoke.

Frank told the Ross Gazette: “People were starting to notice, but weren’t doing anything. I said, if we don’t do something about it, it is going to go up!”

Frank was reluctant to share his last name, dismissing his help and heroics.

The owner of the vehicle, Kevin, who had just finished his food delivery rounds, said that he had returned to his vehicle, which was parked in a loading bay near the Market Place, when it started smoking from the bonnet.

Kevin exited the vehicle straight away, and flames started to erupt from the front of the silver Mercedes van.

Kevin said, “I was surpised at how many people were watching or trying to walk by, when it could go off any minute!”

“That’s a write off,” said a bystander, Kevin agreed and said that he had called the AA to pick him up.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s new Watch Commander for Ross, Adrian Phillips, told the Ross Gazette: “At this stage it appears to be an electrical fault. We have extinguished the fire but are now making the vehicle safe.”

Shoppers and staff in local shops stayed inside until the area was secure.

The road re-opened to traffic at about 4.50pm.