“I have never seen a disaster like it before.”

Those are the words of Gary Scott, who witnessed a “horrific” fire which tore through a garage in an Essex village and left a man with burns on Monday night.

Mr Scott, who has lived in Alresford for 39 years, is a Tendring district councillor for the area and has known those affected by the fire – which started just after 10pm on Monday – for several years.

Three fire crews, one from Wivenhoe and two from Colchester, were called to the blaze in Heath Road, Alresford, at around 10.12pm.

A fire spokesman said the flames had spread from a garage to the back of an attached house, and two cars on the next door driveway had also caught fire.

“I was just sat down watching the Olympics when I smelled burning, like a bonfire,” said Mr Scott. “I ran down Coach Road to the end of Heath Road, and I could see the flames from a distance. I live round the corner in Laxton Road.

“I could see two women near the driveway huddling together – they looked very scared and upset.”

The two women are thought to be residents in their 70s.

Both were taken to Colchester General Hospital where they were treated for shock.

The injured man is thought to be in his 30s.

He was taken to Broomfield Hospital with what are reported by paramedics to be severe burns.

“I called 999 shortly after I got there – everyone was panicking,” Mr Scott said.

“That’s when I saw a man, who I later recognised, who had serious burns – he didn’t even know he’d been burned, he was that shocked.

“I believe another man who came to help saved his life. He stepped in and helped.

“People were saying they heard an explosion, and they thought the garage may have blown up. A lot of the roof had melted, and a caravan they had in there has been destroyed.

Mr Scott added: “It was horrific, it really was. I have never seen a disaster like it before, and I’ve lived in Alresford nearly all my life.”

An ambulance spokesman confirmed three patients were treated by paramedics. They sent a rapid response vehicle and two ambulances to the scene.