A woman was discovered dead at the scene of a massive gas explosion in Birmingham that destroyed a home and damaged others.
West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) stated, “It is with great sadness that we can confirm a woman was found dead at the scene.”
Sunday just after 20:30 BST, an explosion occurred in Dulwich Road, Kingstanding, inflicting life-threatening injuries to a man.
At least three further residences were destroyed and subsequently evacuated.
The man was pulled from the home by bystanders on the scene, but he sustained “very severe” injuries, according to the emergency service.
Martin Ward-White, the incident commander for WMFS, stated that the deceased woman was discovered “quite fast within the exploding structure.”
Social media footage depicted flames engulfing the red brick terraced home.
Mr. Ward-White stated that the next step for the fire department and gas board would be to investigate the cause of the incident. “We are aware that the substance is gas, but what triggered the explosion?
This will likely require a considerable amount of time.
Residents reported that they had traversed blazing debris and rubble to reach the man.
“Everyone was watching, the home was on fire, and nobody was going in, so we saw a way in,” a man who did not wish to be identified told the PA news agency. About a dozen of us entered into the burning house.
A neighbor who lives six doors away from the explosion reported hearing a big noise and rushing outside to view the rescue attempts.
“[They] were able to remove someone from the wreckage, but as he was being brought out, he reported that there was still someone inside, but they were unable to help further as the fire grew,” he added.
Kashif Mahmood and his family were passing by when the house burst and the shockwave struck their vehicle.
“The airbags, windows, and roof were all shattered,” he stated.
“It was quite unexpected and terrifying. Everyone is safe, but my children are still in shock.”
Today’s scene is one of desolation. The explosion destroyed one home and severely damaged numerous others.
The street is littered with debris, and the overturned car has been moved.
To discover what caused the explosion, fire investigators and gas company professionals have begun combing through the wreckage.
Some people who were evacuated last night were permitted to return to their homes this morning to get any necessities, but they have been warned that they may not be permitted to stay in their homes tonight.
Others just cannot reach their properties due to the massive damage.
Twenty-one individuals were evacuated and placed in different homes and hotels by the city council.
Emma Core, assistant manager of the neighboring Kingstanding Inn, stated that the council requested the establishment to house evacuees.
“They were all gloomy and despondent, worried about their possessions. “Some individuals arrived without shoes, wearing only slippers,” she explained.
The West Midlands Police stated that Dulwich Road and the neighboring roads would be closed “for a very long time.”
Cadent, the West Midlands gas emergency service, stated that its personnel was on-site as part of the multi-agency response and that its thoughts were with those affected.
