Salford gas explosion: firefighters search through rubble

Firefighters were searching through the rubble of a row of destroyed houses today after an large gas explosion ripped through an area of Greater Manchester. Eleven people – five adults and six children – have been taken to hospital, some with serious injuries said Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Tony Lander. "The middle three properties have been demolished, completely flattened – the roof and the first floor are on the ground. At the moment it is very difficult to ascertain if there is still anyone trapped inside," he said. One 76-year-old woman who had been close to the blast is fighting for her life after being taken to hospital with 30% burns. Emergency services raced to the scene at Merlin Road at 7.15am in Salford. Around 50 firefighters, eight fire engines and scores of ambulances and search and rescue teams similar to those flown to Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake that ravaged the island, were on the scene. A number of roads, including Silver Street, Merlin Road, Morillon Road and Cutnook Lane were closed while police and other emergency services worked at the scene. One senior firefighter said he heard the blast from six miles away. Police have warned people to stay away from the area. Nearby Silver Street resident William Billinge was woken up when a "very loud bang" and explosion shook his house. Exiting his house, he saw a scene of devastation. "There's nothing left of them. There is debris everywhere, all over the place. Four houses completely flattened," he said. Barbara Holgate had just returned home from working a night shift at a supermarket when she heard the explosion and said emergency services immediately began to evacuate nearby streets, with a local school opened to house people. "But it's a close-knit area so people have been going to relatives and friends. I've invited somebody in for coffee," she said. "They told most people to go inside. There's a big smell of gas."