Photographer Scott Johnson has spoken out about the terrifying moment a massive explosion ripped through an industrial estate near his studio in Essex, forcing him to cancel a wedding booking.
The explosion, which occurred on Friday, was caused by a fire at the estate and sent debris raining down on Johnson's studio.
Johnson, who had been driving to his studio when he saw the fire on the horizon, quickly cancelled a meeting and began removing his equipment from the premises. However, before he could leave, the explosion took place, blowing him into the door of his studio.
'It was like witnessing something that is literally out of a movie,' Johnson said, describing the scene. 'It was a miracle I was unscathed, apart from some really nasty tinnitus.'
Johnson managed to escape the scene unharmed and was later checked over by an ambulance crew. He praised his assistant, James Musselwhite, for driving from Portsmouth to help him cover the wedding booking the following day.
The incident has been described by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service as 'one of the most challenging and complex incidents we have responded to in recent years.' An investigation into the cause of the fire has begun, with the UK Health Security Agency confirming the risk to health from the debris and smoke plume was low.