A man is fighting for his life after a gas explosion "like an earthquake" destroyed a house in Birmingham on Sunday evening (June 26). The man was rescued from the scene on Dulwich Road in Kingstanding by residents and was taken to hospital after suffering “very significant injuries”, West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said.
Four other men suffered minor injuries and were checked over by emergency services at the scene, WMAS added. Local residents described how the explosion felt like an earthquake after their house "shook" with the force of the explosion.
Speaking to Birmingham Live, one man said: "The explosion happened as I shut the door. Living rooms windows have shattered. There was glass everywhere. The house shook and I fell on the floor, I thought it was an earthquake. I heard a man shout help."
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West Midlands Police said they were called just after 8.30pm, with one house destroyed and several others significantly damaged as well as nearby cars. PA news agency reports that residents clambered past flaming debris, through dust and rubble, shortly after the blast, and pulled an injured man alive from the ruins of the house.
One man, who declined to give his name, said: “Everyone was watching, the house was on fire, nobody was going in, so we could see a way in – so we went in the house, me and about a dozen others. There was a guy in the back (of the house), we could hear the guy screaming, but he was trapped up against the fridge in the kitchen.
“The dust from the loft insulation was burning around us. We managed to get to him, and pull him out – I still have his blood on my jeans. We got him out, he ended up coming out on a mattress. But he was saying there was a woman in the house.”
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “A man was helped from the property by people at the scene but had suffered very serious injuries. After assessment and treatment at the scene, he was taken on blue lights to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham with the MERIT team travelling with the ambulance.
“His condition on arrival at hospital was described as life threatening. Four further men have been assessed by ambulance crews for minor conditions but have been discharged at the scene. Members of the Hazardous Area Response Team continue to work with specialist firefighters at the scene.”
Emergency services said the cause of the fire is not yet known and that evacuations were taking place. People have been urged to avoid the area, with Dulwich Road and surrounding roads closed.
A spokesperson from Cadent Gas said its personnel were at the site: "Our teams are on-site at the incident in Kingstanding, assisting the multi-agency response as the gas emergency service for the West Midlands” they said. It is too early to speculate on the cause. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted. If ever anyone smells gas, nearby or anywhere, it is important to act immediately and ring the national gas emergency service on 0800 111 999.”
Footage of flames, damage and debris from a terraced red brick house. were posted on social media, alongside aerial shots shared on Twitter that showed flames billowing into the sky.
WMFS, West Midlands Police, WMAS, Cadent Gas and the National Grid are all said to be working together to manage the incident. Six fire crews, three ambulances, five paramedic officers and a National Inter-Agency Liaison officer were also among the resources sent to the scene.
A city councillor for the ward, Rick Payne, said he heard a “massive explosion” while watching television shortly after 8.30pm, and headed over to Dulwich Road to see what had happened. He said: “I recognised that as probably most likely to be a gas explosion.
"The police are just saying that there’s quite a lot of houses damaged as a result – probably up to five or six houses. The house itself, where the explosion occurred, has physically been destroyed. Houses either side have, partially. Then the houses further along the street have been damaged collaterally from the blast.”
A man on Twitter said he cousin “put his own life at risk” by running into a burning house to save someone inside after the explosion. Callum Attwood’s cousin Reece tweeted: “What happened in Kingstanding tonight is devastating… my cousin saved a life!
"He’s a hero. I’m so proud of him. Get this spread round Twitter!! His actions, Braveness and courage to do what someone else wouldn’t do and put his own life at risk to save a life! Hero CALLUM ATTWOOD.”
WMFS area commander Steve Ball, speaking at the scene, said: “Around 8.30pm this evening we were called to a gas explosion in a house. On arrival, it was quite a challenging scene, where one house had been completely destroyed, and three neighbouring properties had also been quite badly affected.
“One man had already been rescued, prior to our arrival, and he’s been taken care of by West Midlands Ambulance Service. He’s got life-threatening injuries and he’s gone to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Birmingham). On scene at the moment we’ve got six appliances, we’ve got our technical rescue teams and we’ve also got our fire dog here.”
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