Two men are still fighting for their lives in hospital after the blaze
Scene of caravan blaze in St George
Police and fire forensic teams – including a specialist sniffer dog brought in from 80 miles away – spent this afternoon scouring the scene of Monday night’s serious fire in East Bristol, as neighbours told of their shock at the dramatic incident which has left two men fighting for their lives in hospital.
One neighbour said he feared for his grandson, who lives next door to the scene of the blaze in St George, and another said she was shocked at the scale of the explosion and fire which shook the neighbourhood at around 10.20pm on Monday evening.
Two men remain in a critical condition in hospital, while another man, who was arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life on Tuesday morning, remained in police custody.
The fire took hold in a caravan parked in a backyard on Marling Road, at the rear of a building that fronts onto Bell Hill Road, the main A420 road between Bristol and Kingswood. It quickly spread to the building the caravan was parked behind. Someone spotted the smoke coming from the building and alerted fire crews at 10.25pm.
Two men inside were seriously injured and police said they were in a critical condition. Around 40 hours after the blaze, people living on Marling Road were still coming to terms with the dramatic scenes that confronted them as they rushed from their homes as the flames took hold.
Marling Road remained closed this afternoon (Wednesday), and a huge team of fire investigators, police forensic officers and gas engineers were working away both inside the property and outside the back yard, where the only part of the caravan still recognisable was the metal base trailer.
With the increased activity, neighbours came to check on the scene. “We were so worried because our grandson lives next door,” said one elderly man with his wife, who live further up Marling Road. “We heard this huge explosion, it was quite a big bang. I came down when I heard the sirens because my grandson lives next door.
Police and fire forensic investigators at the scene of a caravan fire, Wednesday 1 October 2025 on Marling Road St George Bristol. (Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
“We were so concerned for him. Luckily we found out he managed to get out quite quickly, but his neighbours didn’t and my thoughts are with them today,” he added.
One man who has lived a few doors down from the scene for the past six years had gone for a night out in the city centre with his partner, leaving their small child with a babysitter. “We’d been out in the city centre and were cycling home,” he said.
“We were passed by all these fire engines and police cars, and as we got nearer, we realised they’d gone down our road so you naturally fear the worst. People were out of their houses and watching and seeing if they could help,” he added.
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“It does make you wonder about your area. We’ve had the police come around and ask us about it, and they reassured us, but they couldn’t really say anything,” he added.
Another man was with his grandchildren who live on the road. “I’m just thankful no one has died, although the two men in there are in a bad way,” he said. “It’s a frightening thing, and to see it all like this is terrible,” he added.
Police and fire forensic investigators at the scene of a caravan fire, Wednesday 1 October 2025 on Marling Road St George Bristol. (Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
Police forensics worked alongside fire investigators, and Avon Fire called in a specialist detection dog that works for Devon and Somerset Fire based in Exeter. The dog was led carefully through the charred wreckage of the caravan, and is trained to detect even tiny quantities or residues of 12 different accelerants – petrol, fuel or chemicals that may have been used to start a fire.
While the work continued at Marling Road, just a few yards further west along on Bell Hill Road itself, three police vans and a police car were parked for most of the afternoon, with officers seen inside a house there.
Any connection between the operation on Bell Hill Road and Monday night’s fire is unconfirmed – Bristol Live asked Avon and Somerset police and a response is awaited.
Police at an address on Bell Hill Road in St George, Bristol, Wednesday 1 October 2025(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
A police spokesperson appealed for any witnesses – including anyone driving on this busy main road on Monday night who has dashcam – to get in touch.
“Anyone with information around what happened, or was driving in the area at the time and may have relevant dashcam footage, is asked to contact us online or on 101 and quote reference number 5225273963,” he said.