UPDATE: |Major incident declared as terraced house destroyed in gas explosion News

Emergency crews worked through the night to account for residents

A major incident has been declared in a Nottinghamshire town after a gas explosion almost completely destroyed a terraced house on Saturday night (April 12).

Shocking photos of the scene show that the house has almost completely collapsed, with a mass of bricks and shredded timber spilling out into the street.

Nottinghamshire Police said they were called to John Street in Worksop, a market town east of Sheffield, at 7:39pm last night where they were joined by crews from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Fire & Rescue service.

In a statement last night, Nottinghamshire Police said: “The terraced property has been partially destroyed, with damage also reported to adjoining properties.

“Multiple houses in and around John Street have been evacuated as emergency crews work to account for all local residents.

“Several nearby roads have been closed and people are advised to avoid the area.”

Nottinghamshire Live reported that people evacuated from their homes in the area have been sent to the local football ground and community centres.

The fire service has confirmed that it was a gas explosion, and in an update at 6:30am on Sunday (April 13) said work was continuing to account for local residents, alongside specialist Urban Search and Rescue Teams.

“The building involved in this explosion has been significantly damaged. Structural engineers will be assessing the situation later today, but people are still advised to avoid the area.”

Local residents told Notts Live described an ‘almighty explosion’.

Jonathan Hodson, 51, who lives on nearby Trent Street, said: “We were in our back garden and we’d literally just lit the fire pit, we were looking forward to a chilled out evening.

“Then we heard an almighty explosion, fence panels were rattling and the windows were shaking.”

Becky Eyre, 44, another neighbour, described it as “a serious boom”.

“We’ve just got to keep our fingers crossed that nobody was inside and everyone is okay, but we’ve not heard anything,” she said.

“Nobody will be living in that property again anytime soon and a lot of the neighbours have had bad damage. Apparently someone’s conservatory roof has come down.”

Another couple living a few houses away from the explosion on John Street said they knew the people living in the house.

“They’re our friends,” they told Notts Live. “We don’t know if they’re OK.”