Man hurt in car yard explosion

A man was injured after a car he was cutting up exploded, starting a fire in a Timaru wrecker's yard this morning.

Fire safety officer Kevin Collins said the fire began when the man's cutting tool ignited trapped fuel vapours, spreading rapidly to nearby cars.

The man was blown back by the explosion, but escaped with minor injuries. Firefighters took about an hour to bring the six-car blaze under control.