Police have confirmed at least one person has died following an explosion in Bedford amid warnings "more bodies may be found" in the flats.
It's understood a gas explosion sparked a horror fire at the three-storey building in Bedfordshire's county town on Monday, July 4. Local officers have now confirmed the victim, who has not been named, was found dead by emergency services searching the scene.
The Mirror has told how neighbouring properties from the residential area on Redwood Grove have been evacuated. One other patient has a serious leg injury and two - including a firefighter - suffered smoke inhalation before all being rushed to hospital.
Bedfordshire Police Chief Superintendent John Murphy has tragically said more deaths may be found in the coming days as emergency services enter the flats. He said: "Very sadly we know that at least one person has passed away in the explosion today.
"There is a possibility that there will be more fatalities discovered in the coming days as we continue to search through the scene and a number of people, as my colleague from the fire services has identified, were injured as well today."
A fire chief said that a gas stove used due to the rising cost of living may have caused the explosion, where some 36 people lost their homes. Chris Bigland, deputy chief fire officer for Bedfordshire, said a gas stove - possibly used amid rising fuel costs - may have caused the explosion.
He said that 100 homes were evacuated this morning, of which around 36 have become unliveable due to fire damage.
Bigland said: "Gas wasn't linked to the building. There may have been gas bottles used for heating or cooking. It could have been a camping stove with the fuel crisis and rest of it. We can't rule it out - we just don't know."
Bigland confirmed that two people were in hospital due to the fire. He said a firefighter was also treated for smoke inhalation as a precaution. He declined to provide further details on the victims, who are said to be male residents aged in their 20s and 50s.
However Bigland confirmed that people had left the building by 'unconventional methods' and that firefighters had helped people to evacuate. He said: "When crews arrived people were looking to hang out of the building."
He added that fire crews were called at 9.20am to reports of a fire and explosion and arrived at the scene within six minutes. Footage shared on social media shows flames erupting from the building as hero firefighters try to battle the blaze after neighbouring properties were evacuated.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service later said the huge blaze was caused by a gas explosion. Members of the public have been advised to avoid the area. Local residents in Bedford described feeling the ground shake and seeing a person jumping from a second-floor window to escape the burning building.
"I heard the explosion from my house round the corner," said one resident, who wished to remain anonymous. I walked to town and saw the flames and also witnessed someone jump from the second-floor window whilst flames were blaring out."
Adrian Marz, who lives on the top floor of the neighbouring building, told how he and his partner rushed to "start knocking on people's doors" and help evacuate the area. When I was outside the building I saw the walls being torn apart... and all of the windows out, and smoke and flames pretty much instantly", he told the BBC.
"I saw a couple of people jump out of the building and started helping them out... bringing them away from the fire, away from the danger, but it was a very, very serious and very big explosion. We saw people jumping out from the flat that was directly affected.
"I think that was the flat that blew up, and that was where the gentleman jumped out and hurt his hip really badly. We pulled him away."
Adam Fisher, a 37-year-old sales worker whose office is nearby, said he heard a "huge explosion" before witnessing "an inferno" at the site and people screaming. He said: "A huge explosion heard - everyone went to our work car park to see what was happening.
"Our building is adjacent to the apartment complex - immediately an inferno (was) visible, huge smoke cloud billowing, people screaming and people frantically calling for emergency services."
Another concerned member of the public reported hearing an explosion moments before spotting smoke coming from the area.
She said: "Was working in a shop nearby. Explosion shook the whole shop and the ones near us. Next thing we knew we could see smoke coming from Redwood Grove. Scary stuff."
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