Firefighters managed to control a raging fire just before petrol pumps were ignited and nearby homes destroyed.

One person was taken to hospital with burns and five others, including a child, managed to flee the garage complex before crews arrived.

Residents and brigade leaders said homes would have been wiped out if firefighters had not managed to stop flames spreading to the nearby pumps.

Fifteen fire crews were called to the BP petrol station, Old Mill Drive, Storrington, which is part of the MJ Garage, at about 1.45pm yesterday.

The blaze started in the Body and Face beauty salon, which is housed above the petrol station along with the Appia restaurant and offices.

Flames spread to a walkway at the back of the site, which has petrol pumps and tanks on the forecourt.

Station Officer Paul Fuller from Horsham said: "If the petrol station had gone up then that would have blown up all the houses nearby."

Nella Moulder, who lives opposite and alerted the brigade, said: "There was a great deal of smoke and the windows blew out, which made a terrific noise, and then I saw lots of flames.

"I was very scared that it could have spread to the petrol pumps.

"There were also cars in the workshop of Storrington Auto Repairs, which is next to the station, and they could have gone up as well.

"The prospect of the station going up was beyond comprehension. I feared I could have died."

Neighbour Jean Collins said: "I was just having my lunch when I heard the sound of glass shattering.

"I saw the owner of Storrington Auto Repairs at the scene and he looked dreadfully upset.

"I immediately thought about the petrol pumps blowing up as we live no distance at all from it. They have done very well to control the fire in a part of the building away from the petrol station. It was incredible."

Mr Fuller said: "Five adults and one child were evacuated from the building before the arrival of the brigade. One adult was sent to Worthing Hospital suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

"A total of 15 appliances were called. We confined the fire to the first floor with only slight smoke damage to the ground floor."

The cause is being investigated.

Firefighters stayed overnight to ensure the building was safe and hot embers did not reignite the complex.

The extent of the damage is also being evaluated.