Neighbours heard a bang as an explosion tore through a Nottingham house. Emergency services were called to a house on Commercial Road, Bulwell, at 12.02pm on Tuesday, November 22 after an explosion blasted through the front of the property.
A man who was seriously injured in the incident was taken to hospital via air ambulance. Nine nearby properties were evacuated.
Local residents said they felt their houses shake and heard a bang as the explosion happened. Darren Stocks, 40, who moved to his property on Commercial Road in May this year said: “I was in the back garden. We heard a big explosion, the windows rattled.
"My partner thought it was a car crash but I said it was an explosion because we heard all the glass. I came running out and saw everything on the road.
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"I actually went into the property, I asked him if there was anyone else in the home, he said there wasn’t but I ran in just to check."
Investigations are ongoing but officials from the Fire Service said it is believed the incident was caused by a gas cylinder in the basement.
Melissa Davis, 28, who is a sales assistant at Commercial Stores on Commercial Road, said: “A girl ran in asking if I’d heard a bang. She was trying to call the fire service. I went out and saw all the smoke coming out of the property. It was crazy, it’s just unexpected.
“And when you see an air ambulance that’s when you know someone’s injured. It’s just crazy.”
A Commercial Road resident, who did not want to be named, said she felt the house shake. She said: “All I know is that it’s a gas explosion. It’s bizarre - we felt the house shaking and then came outside to see what happened. We saw the back door shaking.”
Stewart Roles, 48, a car manufacturer who lives nearby, said: “I don’t even live on the road and I heard it - it was an absolute shock. It certainly startled me and my wife. I think it’s taken everybody in the area by surprise. It was the loudest bang you’ll hear and immediately you knew something had gone wrong.
“I think the only good thing from this is already you can see the community pulling together. People have been going around offering hot drinks to people that want it."
Four fire engines from Stockhill, Arnold and Eastwood, plus the Specialist Rescue Unit from Highfields, attended the scene. Nottinghamshire Police, EMAS, and the gas and electric board were also present, with the investigation into the cause of the fire underway.
A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said: At 12.02pm on Tuesday 22 November, emergency services were called to an explosion at an end terrace property on Commercial Road, Bulwell.
"The explosion has severely damaged the front ground floor of the property. Four fire engines from Stockhill, Arnold and Eastwood, plus the Specialist Rescue Unit from Highfields, are in attendance. Other services, including Nottinghamshire Police, EMAS, and the gas and electric board are also on scene. A structural engineer is currently on route. We are working with colleagues to establish the cause of the explosion.
"A man who was seriously injured in the incident, has since been taken to hospital via air ambulance. Nine nearby properties were evacuated. Please avoid the area for now, and keep doors and windows closed."
Speaking at the scene, Incident Commander Richard Ellis said: "We were called just after noon today to reports of a building fire. when crews attended they quickly established it was more of an explosion that a building fire so we initially sent to fire engines from Stockhill and Arnold but because of the nature of the calls we were receiving from members of the public our joint fire control sent more fire engines.
The initial scene when I turned up was pretty much what you can see behind me. There was very little fire, if any. Though we did have a couple of hose reels in use, just to damp down any small fires which existed. We believe at the moment that the cause of the explosion is a gas cylinder in the basement.
"One person who was in the basement oat the time of the explosion has been quite seriously injured and they are being treated at the Queen's Medical Centre. Another person did start to suffer from chest pains although that was unrelated to the explosion, so we have got a second person who is being treated at the Queen's Medical Centre."
When asked about the neighbouring homes that were evacuated, Incident Commander Ellis said: "The majority of them are in the process of being allowed back into their properties. There are two properties that won't be allowed back into until structural engineers confirm that it's safe for them to go into their homes."
He also said he wished to thank local resident for their patience and understanding, adding "The evacuation from the immediate area was done with the best intentions and to keep them safe."
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