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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Ten injured in Clacton street gas blast and fire | Ten injured in Clacton street gas blast and fire |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ten people were hurt in a gas explosion and fire in a residential street in Essex. | Ten people were hurt in a gas explosion and fire in a residential street in Essex. |
| The blast happened at about 08:30 GMT in Cloes Lane, Clacton. | |
| A man in his 70s was airlifted to hospital in a life-threatening condition and a woman in her 50s was severely burned, the East of England Ambulance Service said. | |
| Eight more people were taken to hospital with injuries including burns and broken legs. | |
| Two houses were "flattened" and a third is seriously damaged. Eyewitness described the street "shaking" at the blast and a strong smell of gas. | Two houses were "flattened" and a third is seriously damaged. Eyewitness described the street "shaking" at the blast and a strong smell of gas. |
| Essex Police said it had evacuated 19 properties; 10 in Cloes Lane and nine in the road behind it. The nearby St Clare's Catholic Primary School has also been shut as a precaution. | |
| It added that electricity supplies were being turned off in the area until it became safe. | |
| Gwen Mitchell, a Tendring District Council member who lives opposite the blast site, said: "It looks like one house has gone; the whole front seems to be gone. You can smell the smoke in the air." | Gwen Mitchell, a Tendring District Council member who lives opposite the blast site, said: "It looks like one house has gone; the whole front seems to be gone. You can smell the smoke in the air." |
| Linda White, who lives 150 yards away from the explosion site, said: "We saw loft insulation blowing down the road. You could smell the gas; everybody was hanging out the windows saying, 'what was that?'" | Linda White, who lives 150 yards away from the explosion site, said: "We saw loft insulation blowing down the road. You could smell the gas; everybody was hanging out the windows saying, 'what was that?'" |
| Assistant Divisional Officer Lee Palfreyman, of Essex Fire and Rescue, said: "The blast flattened two houses and badly damaged a third. | Assistant Divisional Officer Lee Palfreyman, of Essex Fire and Rescue, said: "The blast flattened two houses and badly damaged a third. |
| "Debris flew in all directions damaging windows and roofs. Crews are continuing their work at the scene. | "Debris flew in all directions damaging windows and roofs. Crews are continuing their work at the scene. |
| "The evacuation of properties is now complete and the gas board are in attendance assessing the scene." | "The evacuation of properties is now complete and the gas board are in attendance assessing the scene." |
| Clacton's Conservative MP, Douglas Carswell, tweeted: "My thoughts are with those in Cloes Lane #clacton affected by explosion." | |
| A spokesman for the National Grid said the incident involved a gas-fuelled fire coming from a service pipe. | A spokesman for the National Grid said the incident involved a gas-fuelled fire coming from a service pipe. |
| Five ambulances and two air ambulances were sent to the scene. | Five ambulances and two air ambulances were sent to the scene. |
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