Woman rushed to hospital with serious burns after 'explosion' near Alton Towers destroys holiday cottage
29 December 2023, 16:58 | Updated: 29 December 2023, 17:00
A woman in her 50s has suffered serious burns after a gas explosion near Alton Towers destroyed a holiday cottage.
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The woman was airlifted to hospital while fire crews tackled the blaze on Friday afternoon.
Emergency services were called out at around 12.45pm following reports of a gas explosion.
People have been advised to avoid the area in Threapwood, near Alton. Staffordshire Police said Bradley Lane had been reopened following the incident.
Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "We have extinguished a fire at a holiday cottage in Alton this afternoon (29 December) following reports of a gas explosion.
"Crews from Longton and Hanley were sent to an address on Bradley Lane, Threapwood, shortly after 12.40pm. Our colleagues from Staffordshire Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service also went to the scene.
"Firefighters used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire, which was put out around 1.30pm.
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"Emergency services carried out a search in the area to make sure everyone was accounted for in the neighbouring properties.
"A woman, in her 50s, suffered serious burns at the scene. She was taken to hospital by air ambulance.
"As a result of the explosion, the building was destroyed. Gas engineers came out and isolated the supply to make sure the area was left safe.
"An investigation into what caused the explosion is ongoing and emergency services will remain at the scene."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called to reports of an explosion at a log cabin in Bradley in the Moors near Alton in Staffordshire at 12.40pm today.
"An ambulance, two paramedic officers, the Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford and a Midlands Air Ambulance Critical Care car were sent to the scene.
"On arrival, crews found three properties, one of which had been completely destroyed by the explosion. A middle aged woman was assessed and treated at the scene by ambulance staff and the doctor and critical care paramedics from the air ambulance.
"After being treated at the scene, she was airlifted to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further treatment. The woman was the only casualty."
