Lunatic sets petrol forecourt on fire, risking huge explosion

Police are hunting a man who poured petrol from a pump on a forecourt and then deliberately set it on fire.

Shocking footage shows the arsonist calmly walking into the BP outlet in Greenwich, south London, on the morning of 30 September.

He squirted some petrol on the ground from a pump before stuffing something - believed to be paper or cloth - into the nozzle and setting it on fire.

He ran away as flames erupted and threatened to trigger a major explosion.

A brave motorist averted disaster when he grabbed an extinguisher and put out the fire before it spread.

Detective Constable Karl Buckwell, from Greenwich CID, said: "This was an incredibly dangerous and reckless thing to do - there were cars and people filling up in the petrol station.

"The petrol station is surrounded by flats and is located on a very busy road.

"We believe that the person seen setting the fire in the footage would have been caught in it and may have burnt his eyebrows as well as his hair.

"Anyone who knows his identity should get in touch with police as soon as possible."