Van mysteriously bursts into flames and rolls down residential street into front of house

A van turned into a rolling fireball when it burst into flames and moved slowly along a residential road.

The vehicle, belonging to a tyre supply firm in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, had been parked outside a house when it mysteriously caught fire.

The flames quickly grew and burned through the handbrake cable, causing the van to dangerously creep down the road.

It rolled about 100 yards before it entered a driveway and ploughed into the front of a house, smashing the windows and setting a second van on fire.

Firecrews quickly put out the flames and saved the second vehicle, but not before the first was left completely gutted.

Local resident Dave Porter filmed the drama which unfolded in Dunstable, Beds around 3.50pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Dave, 43, a test controller and dad-of-three, said: 'It was very shocking. I saw the smoke and thought it might be someone's house alight.

'When I got to the road I saw the van and then it started moving, it became a rolling fireball.

'I'm not sure how the fire started but it had obviously burnt through the handbrake. Kids were coming out of school and it looked really dangerous.'

He added: 'I would have called the fire service but police were already there but there wasn't really much they could do.

A Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue spokesman said: 'One appliance was sent for but when on the scene it was realised the incident was serious and another appliance was asked to be sent.’

The spokesman said the fire was out by around 5.30pm. Bedfordshire Police are investigating the cause of the fire.