An exclusion zone around a factory in Northfleet has been lifted after a fire broke out and heated up a gas cylinder.

The fire started in a warehouse while staff were out on lunch.

Neighbours dialled 999 at about 12.20pm after spotting smoke pouring from The Universal Electrical Manufacturing Company in Ebbsfleet Business Park on the A226 Galley Hill Road.

Two crews from Dartford, two from Thames-side, and a control unit from Maidstone attended the blaze as did police.

A 200m cordon was set up around the scene and homes and businesses were evacuated as one cylinder containing the highly flammable gas acetylene was heated up in the blaze.

It was later reduced to 100m as crews submerged the cylinder in cold water for an hour at a time before testing it to check if it had cooled down.

Dartford station manager, Steve Dunn, said: "There was a danger that the cylinder could explode and shower debris down on people."

Have you been caught up in the fire? Tell us below, or email your pictures tomultimediadesk@thekmgroup.co.uk