A LARGE quantity of potentially dangerous fuel was found at a city home during a police raid.

Officers smashed open the garage door of a Fortis Living property in Worcester last Thursday morning (November 1) after reports that up to 300 litres of petrol were being illegally stored there.

Crews from Hereford & Worcester Fire Service and officers from Trading Standards, Fortis and the county council were also on hand – though the exact location of the house has not been revealed.

According to Trading Standards’ regulations, you must have a petroleum licence if you want to store more than 275 litres of petrol domestically.

“Initial tests indicated that the atmosphere in the garage was not explosive and did not pose an immediate threat,” said a county council spokeswoman.

The liquid was then discovered to be red diesel, which, despite having a higher flash point than highly flammable petrol, will ignite if exposed to intense flames.

The quantity of red diesel discovered was considered against regulations and therefore unsafe.

The council spokeswoman went on to say: “On examination, officers discovered that the fuel was not petrol.

“As it was not petrol, the county council’s officers could not seize and detain the fuel.

“The matter has been left with H&W Fire and Fortis Housing to deal with,” she added.

Fortis Living has confirmed the fuel has been removed from the property.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Regulatory Services confirmed that “force had to be used” to gain access to the garage, “as no one answered the door”.

A Fortis Living spokeswoman said: “Customer safety is our top priority and we work in partnership with other agencies to protect the wider community.”

Red diesel is used in non-road mobile machinery, such as tractors, ships, locomotives and unlicensed motor vehicles.

It is taxed at a lower motor fuel tax rate than regular diesel, making it illegal for use in road vehicles.

Police tweeted an image of the battering ram used and the damaged garage door following the raid, adding: “Working together to literally break down barriers to make your community safer.”

Paul Adams, prevention and enforcement officer at Fortis, tweeted a photo of the fuel in plastic containers in the garage.

He said: “Another hugely busy day, first thing. Visit with Hereford & Worcester Fire Service and Trading Standards at one of our properties, storing a large quantity of red diesel in his garage.”