The company which owns the van that exploded outside Westquay this morning has spoken out about the blaze.
The van, which belonged to line marking company Acculine, burst into a huge fireball just before 9.45am with firefighters rushing to the scene.
Mansfield-based Acculine has now confirmed it owns the van. A spokesperson for the company says that nobody was hurt, and the driver is understood to be safe.
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He added that the company suspects a gas canister contributed to the blaze but has no other information to share currently.
The spokesperson said: "Nothing has been confirmed.
"There haven't been any injuries, everybody is safe.
"It is with the police and fire service now."
Westquay has been evacuated while firefighters deal with the blaze.
A spokesperson for Hampshire Fire and Rescue said: "The fire is now out but there remains smoke in the area and crews are currently working to clear this.
"We expect to have a presence on site for some time until the incident is fully resolved. The road closure remains in place.
"We thank everyone for their patience while we deal with this matter."
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