A Raynes Park garage narrowly escaped being blown-up and a collectors car was destroyed after a man ignited a fuel nozzle and sprayed burning petrol across the forecourt.

Only a small safety valve prevented a devastating fire at the BP petrol station in Kingston Road earlier this month, according to firemen who managed to put out the flames after a quick-thinking employee cut the forecourt’s fuel supply.

Police were called at 4am on Saturday, February 4, to deal with the incident at the garage, and reports of a man torching a car 50 metres along the road.

Edeltrend Konig, 65, was woken by officers who said her 1954 Ford Prefect had been destroyed.

The Kingston Road resident said: “I just couldn’t believe it. My car was parked right outside the front of my house, can you imagine if he had managed to blow the whole thing up?

“I doubt I would have been in one piece, and I dread to think would have happened to the homes surrounding the petrol station if that had exploded. I’m just grateful that it wasn’t a great deal worse.”

Fire crews from Wimbledon, Mitcham and New Malden were able to put out the petrol station blaze using sand within 30 minutes of being called to the scene.

But a fire brigade spokesman said it was disturbing anyone could start such a “potentially devastating and dangerous fire”.

A BP spokesman added: “As soon as the cashier became aware of what was happening, he cut the cut the power and fuel to the forecourt, evacuated the site and called the fire service. The fire caused only a small amount of damage.”

Paul Jones, 53, of Kingston Road said: “I assume these petrol stations have safety mechanisms to stop flames reaching the fuel tanks, but I’m shocked this happened yards from my front door.

“The whole front of the petrol station was taped off the next morning and it looked as if there must have been a robbery.

"When I went to the policewoman who was on patrol, I was quite annoyed when all she would say is that it was nothing to worry about.”

A 45-year-old man was arrested by police on February 6 and was charged with committing arson and recklessly endangering the life of the petrol station attendant.

Alex McDonagh, of Dingwall Road, Croydon, has been remanded in custody and will appear at Kingston Crown Court on April 20 to enter a plea.