Home / Disasters and Accidents / Axe-Wielding Man Sparks Petrol Station Inferno
Axe-Wielding Man Sparks Petrol Station Inferno
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Fire erupted at a Hampshire petrol station after an axe threat.
- Two cars and a petrol pump were consumed by the intense flames.
- A man was arrested for arson with intent to endanger life.
A petrol station in Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, was severely damaged by a fire that erupted on Thursday. The blaze reportedly began after a man was seen on the forecourt carrying an axe. The situation escalated quickly, with footage showing cars and a petrol pump engulfed in flames.
Local resident Nick Lawrence described seeing smoke heading towards his house, expressing concern for his safety and property. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police were called to the scene around 11:15 AM following reports of a public order incident. Officers, alongside fire and ambulance services, arrived to find a man with burn injuries.
This man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He received medical treatment for burns and smoke inhalation at Queen Alexandra hospital, as the fire service confirmed the fire had spread to two vehicles and a pump.
