Van explosion outside Westquay causes evacuation, no injuries

A shopper made headlines after she evacuated from Westquay with her breakfast in hand. Jasmine Vaughan, a childcare practitioner, was enjoying an all-day big veggie breakfast at the Marks and Spencer café when a loud explosion occurred outside. Jasmine, who was on annual leave, had stopped by the café after realizing Ikea wouldn't open until later. She described the scene as chaotic, with people running and alarms going off. Initially confused, she decided to stay until a second alarm urged everyone to leave. Refusing to abandon her meal, Jasmine grabbed her plate and coffee before leaving. Outside, she posed with her half-eaten breakfast and received cheers from onlookers, thrilled to have a "dinner with a view." The Westquay shopping center was evacuated around 9:40 AM. Firefighters confirmed that an accidental explosion from a van caused the evacuation. Fortunately, no one was injured. The fire resulted in smoke and heat damage to the entrance of the Westquay Podium car park. The van's owner, Mansfield-based Acculine, stated that everyone involved, including the driver, was safe. The situation has been handed over to the police and fire service for further investigation.