A seven-year-old boy has died after what was described as a “devastating explosion” destroyed houses in a residential street.
Northumbria police confirmed that a child had died and six people were taken to hospital after a large fire in Newcastle in the early hours of Wednesday.
Footage on social media showed flames billowing into the night sky while drone pictures on Wednesday morning showed emergency workers sifting through the rubble of the houses, at least one of which was completely destroyed. Piles of debris could be seen on the street.
Speaking at the scene Supt Darren Adams said: “It is with great sadness that I stand in front of you today following the tragic death of a young child.
“As a result of the incident in the early hours of this morning, a seven-year-old boy has sadly passed away. Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he tragically died at the scene. This is a truly devastating outcome.”
He said a number of other people had been evacuated from their homes and an investigation was under way into the cause of the explosion.
Emergency services were called to Violet Close in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city in the early hours. Eyewitnesses told the BBC they had heard a “very loud bang” followed by a “bright flash”.
A spokesperson for Northern Gas Networks said it had engineers on site and was “supporting the emergency services during this ongoing incident”.
One resident, Dee Bell, told the Chronicle that she heard what she initially thought was a gunshot. “I thought my house was lifting off the ground, it was that loud. I looked outside and saw the flames.”
Andy Riches, a family friend of some of the victims, said there had been a “devastating explosion”. He said: “They have lost everything.”
Road closures were in place on Wednesday afternoon and nearby residents were advised to keep doors and windows closed if they saw or smelled smoke.
A spokesperson for the North East ambulance service said they were called to the incident at 12.45am.
“We dispatched four paramedic crews, four crews from our hazardous area response team (Hart), a doctor, a specialist paramedic, a clinical team leader, a duty officer and a tactical adviser to the scene,” they said. “We treated and conveyed four patients – three adults and one child – to hospital for further treatment.”
Firefighters continued to work at the scene on Wednesday using a jet to damp down the house, which was still smouldering.
