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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Oldham explosion: House 'completely flattened' | Oldham explosion: House 'completely flattened' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| People remain unaccounted for after a large explosion "completely flattened" a house in the Shaw area of Oldham, firefighters have said. | People remain unaccounted for after a large explosion "completely flattened" a house in the Shaw area of Oldham, firefighters have said. |
| Greater Manchester Fire Service said a search was under way for people in four terraced houses damaged by the suspected gas blast in Buckley Street. | |
| One person has been taken to hospital with 80% burns. | One person has been taken to hospital with 80% burns. |
| Police said the explosion happened at 11:15 BST. National Grid said there was a report of a "gas escape" at 10:40. | |
| A fire service helicopter with listening equipment is at the scene trying to detect if people are trapped in the rubble. | A fire service helicopter with listening equipment is at the scene trying to detect if people are trapped in the rubble. |
| North West Ambulance Service said the burns victim had been taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester. | North West Ambulance Service said the burns victim had been taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester. |
| 'Utter carnage' | |
| More than 30 firefighters are at the scene. | |
| Specialist search and rescue teams, including a dog, are involved in the operation. | |
| Extra teams have been drafted in from neighbouring Lancashire Fire Service. | |
| Alex Perkins, who lives across the road, said: "It's like a war zone - tiles that have blown off literally across the streets, there's just debris everywhere. It's mad. | |
| "It's just empty, there's nothing there, just bricks on the floor, just rubble." | |
| Georgian Ulla, who also lives on the street, said her house "shook like it was an earthquake". | |
| "All the lights shook - I thought someone was breaking in to begin with," she said. | |
| "First thing that I saw was all the toys on the floor. Apparently there are kids that live in the house." | |
| Shaw ward councillor Mark Alcock, who lives a quarter of a mile away, described the scene as "utter carnage". | Shaw ward councillor Mark Alcock, who lives a quarter of a mile away, described the scene as "utter carnage". |
| "An end-terrace house has been completely flattened and properties up to 800m away have had their windows blown in," he said. | |
| "It's a real mess… we understand there are people trapped in other properties," he added. | "It's a real mess… we understand there are people trapped in other properties," he added. |
| 'Absolutely frightening' | |
| Peter Travis, who works nearby, said: "I heard the loudest bang you could ever hear, then I could see bits of slate going through the air like ticker tape. | Peter Travis, who works nearby, said: "I heard the loudest bang you could ever hear, then I could see bits of slate going through the air like ticker tape. |
| "Bits of slate were landing near us about 250 metres away. | "Bits of slate were landing near us about 250 metres away. |
| "I could then hear alarms going off and then a silence, it was absolutely frightening." | "I could then hear alarms going off and then a silence, it was absolutely frightening." |
| Craig Needham who runs a nearby garage, said staff ran outside when they heard the explosion. | |
| "We could just see a black plume, we thought a bomb had dropped," he said. | |
| Oldham Council said a rest centre had been set up at Crompton House School in Rochdale Road for people who had been evacuated from their homes. | |
| Are you in the area? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Are you in the area? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
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