Ayr explosion: Family of four in serious condition after blast at house

18 October 2021, 21:08 | Updated: 19 October 2021, 17:05

A family of four, including two boys aged 11 and 16, are in a serious condition after an explosion destroyed their home in South Ayrshire.

A mother and father and their two boys are seriously injured in hospital in Glasgow after the blast in Kincaidston on Monday evening, Police Scotland said.

The blast sent debris flying into houses and cars nearby, and residents were evacuated from their homes.

Police and the fire service are still trying to work out what caused the explosion.

Chief inspector Derrick Johnston, area commander for South Ayrshire, described the incident as "complex".

Social media users said they heard the explosion from miles away, while pictures shared online showed at least one severely damaged house with debris strewn across the street.

In a statement, the force said four houses had been affected by the explosion, with "a number of premises evacuated" and two rest centres set up to assist.

Emergency services were called to Gorse Park at around 7.10pm, police said, adding that local road closures were in place and the public were advised to avoid the area.

"Two adults and two children have been taken to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock," the force said on Monday.

Euan Bryson, who lives in the adjacent housing estate, tweeted a video showing a fire engine on a smoke-filled street in the aftermath of the explosion.

He said: "Was chaotic. There was personal property and rubble all over the scene.

"The video below doesn't even do the smoke justice. Could scarcely make out peoples' faces."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "We received a call at 7.16pm to attend an incident at Gorse Park, Ayr, alongside Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

"We dispatched a number of resources to the scene, including three specialist operations vehicles, six ambulances and an air ambulance."

The gas distribution company SGN was helping emergency services.

A spokesman said: "Our engineers are currently assisting the emergency services to ensure the immediate vicinity is made safe in our role as the gas emergency service."

The fire service said it was working to extinguish a fire at a house.