AN electrician has told of his devastation after his van burst into flames in York.

Sean Chappell started SLC Electrical six years ago and was on his way to the first job of the day yesterday, when he saw smoke billowing from the front of his Ford Transit van.

He said: "I've been building the business for six years and I've literally watched it go up in smoke."

York Press:

Mr Chappell, 28, pulled over in James Street after he smelled smoke, and said by the time he got out of the van, there was a flame under the bonnet.

He said: "It was close. We pulled up and black smoke was coming up from the grills from the engine bay. I looked and there was like a glow and we got out and rang the fire brigade. I tried extinguishing it myself but that didn't touch it.

York Press:

Mr Chappell, pictured previously with his van

"Just after I grabbed my phone and laptop, that I kept in the front of the van, there was a big bang where the front exploded. I was just walking away from the cab, maybe two feet from the door and there was this massive, almighty bang, followed by three or four explosions.

"That's why I'm a bit shaken up at the moment. I've got a seven-month-old and a three-and-a-half year old, I'm the main breadwinner and I need to get up and running as soon as possible."

York Press:

Mr Chappell said fire crews at the scene told him the blaze was likely caused by a fuel leak. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire Service told The Press an electrical fault could also have caused the fire.

Cara Chappell, Sean's wife, said: "I'm heartbroken for him because he works so hard.

"He's out the door from 6.30am and not back until 7.30pm six or seven days a week, and that's the life - it's who he is and it's not just easy to take in."

As these images show, the damage to the van was catastrophic - the steering wheel melted, the inside of the vehicle was completely destroyed, along with the tools and materials Mr Chappell has built up since his business started.

He said: "We were just sat in the back of the fire engine watching my livelihood go up in smoke. It's absolutely devastating.

"I'm in shock at the moment, taking all tools and things built up since 2009 go up in smoke it's very demoralising. The front of the van and the bonnet and engine bay disintegrated, the roof lifted off from the heat of the fire.

York Press:

"I need to get back out there and carry on as awful as it sounds. The insurance company said it would be three to five days for the paperwork but a four to six week turnaround on the claim, so I'm waiting for them to send the paperwork, that can't be rushed. The materials aren't a problem but the tools cost thousands of pounds and you just can't go out and replace them all."