Teen 'fights for life' after hero neighbours rescue him from Burnley house explosion

20 June 2022, 14:15 | Updated: 20 June 2022, 17:42

Authorities attend site of house collapse in Burnley

An 18-year-old was airlifted to hospital after hero neighbours rescued him from a house explosion in Burnley.

Neighbours rushed to the scene to rescue him from a the house which had collapsed in the blast.

A teenage girl was also pulled from rubble by a relative.

The teenage boy was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital suffering from what the North West Ambulance Service described as major trauma.

The girl was taken to Royal Blackburn for assessment.

A 999 call was made at 12:11pm after the explosion at Sefton Terrace.

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.

"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 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.

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.

Authorities have asked people to avoid the area until further notice.

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."

Roads were initially closed by Burnley police, with motorists being told to find alternative routes, but it has now announced that roads have been reopened following the explosion.

A spokesman for gas emergency service Cadent said: "There is a multi-agency response to the incident in Sefton Terrace, Burnley, and our teams are assisting as Lancashire's gas emergency service.

"We will make sure everything associated with gas is safe.

"It is too early to speculate on the cause. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted."