A 45-year-old man from Oxford has been arrested after a silver BMW burst into flames closing Gloucester Green underground car park last night. 

Thirty firefighters tackled the blaze, which sent smoke is billowing across the square, since just after 7.30pm.

The car park was closed for more than an hour during which firefighters put the blaze out then used industrial fans to clear smoke.

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The man has been arrested on suspicion of arson and is currently in police custody. 

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, who were looking into the cause last night, handed over the investigation to the police, who have since made the arrest. 

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The first images from the burnt-out car showed the blaze also damaged a blue Vauxhall Corsa parked next to it.

Fortunately, the car park's sprinkler system kicked in and ensured the fire did not spread further.

Police officers have now taken the car's licence plate number and will attempt to contact the owner to tell them the bad news.

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Oxford City Council street cleaner David Gray was one of the first on the scene and saw the car in flames.

He said: "We noticed the smoke about 7:40pm and I leapt down there thinking it was a bin fire.

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"It was a really big fire, the entire bonnet covered with flames a couple of feet high.

"The whole car park was full of smoke."

Another city council employee at the car park who asked not to be named told the Oxford Mail bus drivers noticed smoke coming from one of the car park entrances at about 7.30pm.

He said he rushed to put the blaze out before realising it was too big for him to tackle.

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He said he grabbed a fire extinguisher and rushed down the steps but was met with flames sprouting several feet from the car bonnet and called 999.

The council employee said there had not been a fire in the underground car park for some 14 years.

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Marco Maioriello, owner of Spaghetti House, saw the smoke about 7.30pm and said the city council called the fire service who arrived very quickly.

Mr Maioriello said he could not remember a fire happening in the underground car park in the 16 years he has been there.

Sean Mienie, watch manager for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "We were faced with a vehicle fire in the basement. It wasn't close to the entrance so it was quite a serious job trying to locate the fire - the smoke was from the roof down to the ground.

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"We sent six crew members wearing breathing apparatus to locate the fire and make sure the area was clear."