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Blackpool guest house 'gas explosion': Four people hurt Blackpool guest house 'gas explosion': Six people hurt
(about 7 hours later)
Four people were hurt in a suspected gas explosion at a Blackpool guest house, with two airlifted to hospital. A 72-year-old woman remains in a serious condition after a suspected gas explosion at a Blackpool guest house, police have said.
A 90-year-old woman and a man who were trapped in the Charles Street building were rescued after what residents called a "massive blast" just before 18:00 BST on Saturday. She and a man, aged 29, were rescued from the rubble after the blast in Charles Street just before 18:00 BST on Saturday.
A fire service spokesman said the woman was conscious and able to talk. His condition is not thought to be serious. Four others were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
North West Ambulance Service said one person had "major trauma injuries". An investigation is under way into the cause of the blast.
Surrounding roads were closed and residents in the street - and nearby Milbourne Street - were evacuated. Neighbouring residents have since returned home after they were evacuated and all roads have reopened, police said.
Lancashire Police said residents had since returned home and all roads had reopened. Ch Insp Ian Cooper, from Lancashire Police, said: "We are happy that everyone is accounted for and we have moved from a safety and recovery operation into the investigation phase to understand what the cause was.
Neighbouring resident William Burrows described hearing a loud "whoosh", adding: "It was a total nightmare. "We will be working with our colleagues from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Blackpool Council and utility companies to establish that."
"Everything just came crumbling in... next door came down like a pack of cards." He advised members of the public to stay away from site, which "remains dangerous".
"The building will need to be assessed for structural damage and deemed safe before we are able to go inside," he said.
Neighbouring resident William Burrows said the blast sounded like a loud "whoosh", adding: "Everything just came crumbling in... next door came down like a pack of cards."
Another neighbour, Paul Marks, said: "There was water, dust and rubble everywhere. It was absolute carnage."Another neighbour, Paul Marks, said: "There was water, dust and rubble everywhere. It was absolute carnage."
A spokesman from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "After speaking to local residents we knew there were two people inside.A spokesman from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "After speaking to local residents we knew there were two people inside.
"One of them was on the phone to our control room saying they were inside, and we could see another casualty."One of them was on the phone to our control room saying they were inside, and we could see another casualty.
"They were physically trapped."They were physically trapped.
"One had to be lifted down from the first floor on the ladder on a longboard.""One had to be lifted down from the first floor on the ladder on a longboard."
The spokesman said the blast had caused "significant damage" to one property.The spokesman said the blast had caused "significant damage" to one property.
"It's a row of terraced properties and this one house or block of flats, the front of the house is missing and around the back, part of the property has caved in," he said."It's a row of terraced properties and this one house or block of flats, the front of the house is missing and around the back, part of the property has caved in," he said.
Gas engineers had been called and were investigating the cause of the explosion, he said. Update: This article has been amended after police said the woman was aged 72, not 90 as previously believed.