A woman has been found dead and a man has suffered life-threatening injuries after a gas explosion suspected to have destroyed a home in King Standing, Birmingham, last night.
West Midlands Fire Service said: “We are saddened to confirm that a woman has been found dead at the scene of last night’s explosion in King Standing.
“Our thoughts and sympathies are with everyone affected.”
Scene at Dulwich Road, King Standing, Birmingham
One man also suffered “very significant injuries”. and is in “life-threatening” condition following the blast, West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMFS) said.
A house in the middle of the steps was destroyed and several other houses were significantly damaged as well as nearby cars after the explosion at around 8:30pm last night.
Four other men suffered minor injuries and were assessed by paramedics, but were discharged at the scene.
The video shows a huge fire, damaged property and a large pile of debris from the house in the middle of the steps.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
A house in the middle of the stairs was destroyed
Residents recounted how they made their way through flaming debris, through dust and rubble, shortly after the explosion, and pulled a living injured man out of the rubble of his home.
One man, who did not want to be named, said: “Everyone was watching, the house was on fire, no one was coming in so we could see the way in – so we entered the house, me and about a dozen other people.
“There was a man in the back (of the house), we could hear him screaming, but he was stuck to the fridge in the kitchen.
“Dust from the loft insulation is burning all around us.
“We managed to reach him, and pull him out – I still have his blood on my jeans.
“We took him outside, he ended up on a mattress.
“But he’s saying there’s a woman in the house.”
A local councilor said he heard a ‘big bang’ shortly after 8:30pm
WMFS said it was working with West Midlands Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Cadent Gas and National Grid to manage the incident.
Six fire crews, three ambulances, five medical officers and one National Interagency Liaison officer were among the resources dispatched to the scene.
Rick Payne, a ward city councilor, heard a “big bang” while watching television shortly after 8:30 p.m., and walked across Dulwich Street to see what had happened.
“I realized it was most likely a gas explosion,” he said.
“The house itself, where the explosion occurred, was partially destroyed. The houses on either side were partially destroyed. Then the houses further along the street were severely damaged. due to the explosion.”
