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| Haxby house destroyed in explosion after loud bang | Haxby house destroyed in explosion after loud bang |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least one casualty has been reported after a detached house was destroyed in what is believed to be a gas explosion, police have said. | |
| A loud bang was reported in Haxby, near York, at about 07:30 GMT, North Yorkshire Police said. | A loud bang was reported in Haxby, near York, at about 07:30 GMT, North Yorkshire Police said. |
| The property was extensively damaged in the blast, and a number of others nearby were damaged, the force said. | The property was extensively damaged in the blast, and a number of others nearby were damaged, the force said. |
| Paul Foster, who lives near the scene, said: "There was a massive bang and the whole house shook." | |
| "I looked out of the window and at first I couldn't see anything, I thought an aircraft could have come down. | |
| "There was a large plume of smoke coming up. | |
| "Shortly after that I heard all of the emergency service sirens coming down York Road in Haxby." | |
| Mr Foster lives about 150 yards (140 metres) from the destroyed house. | |
| Properties adjacent to the one that has been destroyed have got damaged windows, roofs and garages. | |
| Police believe the incident is a gas explosion but have not yet confirmed it. | |
| Windows at St Margaret Clitherow Church on Holly Tree Lane and the presbytery are also understood to have been damaged. | Windows at St Margaret Clitherow Church on Holly Tree Lane and the presbytery are also understood to have been damaged. |
| An unnamed eyewitness said others had told him they did not think anyone was in the property at the time. | |
| He said: "Neighbours didn't think there was anyone there." | He said: "Neighbours didn't think there was anyone there." |
| 'Just a boom' | 'Just a boom' |
| Marie, who lives nearby, told BBC Radio York: "It was such a large jolt and noise. | Marie, who lives nearby, told BBC Radio York: "It was such a large jolt and noise. |
| "We were living down south when the Buncefield oil storage depot exploded off the M1 and it felt exactly the same, it was just a boom." | "We were living down south when the Buncefield oil storage depot exploded off the M1 and it felt exactly the same, it was just a boom." |
| Another neighbour reported that the blast sounded "like a bomb going off". | Another neighbour reported that the blast sounded "like a bomb going off". |
| Members of the public are being urged to stay indoors but police "do not believe there is a risk to general public". | Members of the public are being urged to stay indoors but police "do not believe there is a risk to general public". |
| 'Nothing left' | 'Nothing left' |
| Tony Richardson, a councillor on Haxby Town Council, said: "The house is completely gone. | |
| "At the present time we believe five houses have been evacuated | |
| "We don't know if other houses need to be evacuated until we know the cause, we are yet to establish that yet." | |
| Residents have been evacuated to the nearby Memorial Hall and the road has been cordoned off. | Residents have been evacuated to the nearby Memorial Hall and the road has been cordoned off. |
| "There's just nothing left," said Rob Varley on Twitter, while other people living nearby told of their homes shaking. | "There's just nothing left," said Rob Varley on Twitter, while other people living nearby told of their homes shaking. |