The fire broke out at around 12.40am on January 7, in a residential one-way road where a van, linked to a recovery company, was parked outside a property.
Emergency services were quickly dispatched to Walpole Road, with a single fire engine arriving at 12.46am.
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(Image: Jade Edwards-Lowe) A University of Winchester student, who witnessed the blaze, said: “At 12.41 I heard intermittent crashes and looked out the skylight to see flashes and people shouting.
“As I went outside to investigate a signal firetruck pulled into Walpole Road. Many people stood around expressed concern over the battery of the car and suggested that magnesium could have caused the sparks.
“It surprised me that when I got out there the police took a while to get there and that a few residents were using their garden hoses to help reduce the flame.”
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At 1.11am, a police van arrived to assist. Emergency services conducted heat sensor checks to ensure the area was safe.
There were no reports of injuries. The cause of the blaze is unclear.
A crowd gathered to watch the incident, including university students and families but the crowd quickly dispersed once the fire was under control.
A neighbour who witnessed the event reported hearing loud noises and seeing spontaneous flashes and bangs at around 12.41 am.
The witness also described hearing shouting at 12.42 am, urging people to “get away from it.”
The police and fire services have been approached for comment.