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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Eleanor Barlow & Abigail O'Leary

Teen girl pulled from rubble after horrror explosion tears windows off house

A teenage girl was pulled from rubble after a horrific explosion ripped the windows from a house - leaving on man seriously injured.

Burnley Police, Lancashire Fire and Rescue and North West Ambulance Service were all called to the blast where one man was sent to hospital and a girl, believed to be 17 was pulled from the debris.

North West Ambulance Service said the man was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital after suffering major trauma in the explosion in Burnley, Lancashire.

Sarah Jones, 19, who lives opposite the end-of-terrace house, said she had been at home when she heard a bang followed by scraping noises, which she now believes were the windows coming off the property.

She said "I came out and I just saw black smoke everywhere.

Emergency services are on the scene following the incident, which is believed to have affected people living in several properties (James Maloney/LancsLive)

"I know the family who live there well and when I came outside their relatives were there.

"I asked if anyone was in there and they said the girl was. She's 17.

"Neighbours got a ladder and were climbing up to the top two windows but then they realised she wasn't upstairs, she was in the front room and had gone through into the cellar, through the floor.

"She was covered in rubble and her relative had to pull her out from under everything.

"We brought her across to my house and she said she didn't think she was injured, she was more worried about how her mum

A police cordon is in place, including on Sefton Terrace and Piccadilly Road (James Maloney/LancsLive)
The scene at the back of the property (James Maloney/LancsLive)

was going to react.

"She is very, very lucky."

Lisa Gorton, 42, said: "I was just stood there and I heard a big bang like if you're watching a movie or you see a building being knocked down.

"I saw all black smoke and the windows went through and everyone came running out.

"I rang the fire brigade. Everyone was trying to help."

Local councillor Sarah Hall, who was at the scene to support residents, said the incident was thought to be a gas explosion.

The fire service inspect part of a property following the blast (Lancs Live/MEN Media)

Andy Fewings, also a councillor, said 10 houses had been evacuated and residents were being told to go to St Matthew's Church on Albion Street.

A search and rescue team could be seen on the street on Monday , along with a number of fire crews, police, and gas and electricity vans.

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "We have three fire engines and our urban search and rescue team at the scene.

"We're working with the other emergency services, local authorities and utilities companies to make the scene safe and assess the structure of the property.

"Firefighters at the scene are now using an aerial ladder platform to make the structure of the house safe by removing coping stones from gable end."

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