Terrifying moment that huge ‘gas’ explosion destroys house and leaves man, 55, injured, as witnesses describe ‘whole street shaking’
- Huge ‘gas’ explosion destroyed a house and left a 55-year-old man injured today
- Police and firefighters were called to the home in Ravensthorpe, near Dewsbury
- Man was reportedly rushed to hospital with serious injuries from flying masonry
- Eyewitnesses said the explosion made a ‘booming sound’ and ‘shook the street’
A huge ‘gas’ explosion has left a 55-year-old man injured after destroying a house in West Yorkshire this morning.
Police and firefighters were called to the home on Crescent Street in Ravensthorpe, near Dewsbury, as a blast tore through the home.
A man was reportedly rushed to hospital with serious injuries from flying masonry as the front wall of the brick terraced house was blown off in the blast, exposing the bedrooms and lower rooms.
Firefighters seen attending the scene, following the massive blaze. A 55-year-old man was reportedly rushed to hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries
Police and firefighters attend the scene. The sole occupant of the house in Crescent Walk is believed to have been looking after the property as the family were abroad
The 55-year-old man’s condition is not life-threatening, according to The Sun.
A black plume of smoke billowed into the sky after a blaze raged through the roof from the suspected explosion.
Aerial pictures show the interior of the house left completely gutted by the blast and exposed at the front, with debris strewn across the lawn.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion made a ‘booming sound’ and ‘shook the whole street’.
One resident, who lives on a nearby street, told Yorkshire Live: ‘My dad came running downstairs and we ran out of the house because we thought it was unsafe.
‘It was a huge booming sound and the whole street was shaking.’
A huge ‘gas’ explosion in Ravensthorpe near Dewsbury left the interior of the house, above, completely gutted and exposed at the front and debris strewn across the lawn
Another said: ‘It shook the whole street, I haven’t felt anything like it.’
The sole occupant of the house in Crescent Walk is believed to have been looking after the property as his relatives – a family of five – enjoyed a holiday abroad.
Flames and think black smoke billowed from the roof as on-looker took photographs and awaited the arrival of emergency services at about 11.30am.
The area has been cordoned off while police and firefighters clear the debris from the house, and investigate the cause of the blaze.
A man claiming to be a relative of the family said at the scene: ‘My brother has taken his family to Pakistan and the house was been looked after by another brother.’
A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: ‘We got a call at 11.37 this morning to reports of an explosion at a domestic property in Crescent Walk, in the Ravensthorpe area of Dewsbury.
‘We sent along crews from Mirfield, Dewsbury, Rastrick, Ossett, and Morley. We also sent out technical rescue crews from Cleckheaton, and an aerial appliance from Wakefield.
‘We’ve also got search and rescue dogs attending at the scene as well.’