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| Driver dies in welding van blast | Driver dies in welding van blast |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A driver was killed when a van carrying welding equipment exploded in a County Durham market town. | |
| Windows in shops and homes were left shattered and wreckage was strewn across the centre of Wolsingham, near Bishop Auckland. | Windows in shops and homes were left shattered and wreckage was strewn across the centre of Wolsingham, near Bishop Auckland. |
| Homes near the scene were evacuated after the blast, which happened at 0700 BST on Saturday. | Homes near the scene were evacuated after the blast, which happened at 0700 BST on Saturday. |
| It is not yet known what caused the oxy-actylene cylinders to explode when the driver stopped his van near shops. | It is not yet known what caused the oxy-actylene cylinders to explode when the driver stopped his van near shops. |
| A Durham Police spokesman said: "We can confirm the van driver died in the incident. | A Durham Police spokesman said: "We can confirm the van driver died in the incident. |
| "The entire market place area has been sealed off for safety reasons." | "The entire market place area has been sealed off for safety reasons." |
| No details of the victim were being released, he added. | No details of the victim were being released, he added. |
| One resident said the van was obliterated in the explosion, which sounded "like a bomb going off". | One resident said the van was obliterated in the explosion, which sounded "like a bomb going off". |
| In pictures: Wolsingham blast | In pictures: Wolsingham blast |
| Speaking from the scene, BBC Radio Cleveland's Matthew Barraclough said: "There was a very large explosion indeed. It woke up pretty much everyone in the town at the same time. | Speaking from the scene, BBC Radio Cleveland's Matthew Barraclough said: "There was a very large explosion indeed. It woke up pretty much everyone in the town at the same time. |
| "People who live in the market square and the homes surrounding that have been evacuated. | "People who live in the market square and the homes surrounding that have been evacuated. |
| "One woman I spoke to said she was not going to be allowed back into her house for 24 hours." | "One woman I spoke to said she was not going to be allowed back into her house for 24 hours." |
| It is not yet known if any of the buildings in the immediate area of the explosion suffered structural damage. | It is not yet known if any of the buildings in the immediate area of the explosion suffered structural damage. |
| A spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said crews could be at the scene throughout the day until the cylinders had cooled down. | A spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said crews could be at the scene throughout the day until the cylinders had cooled down. |
| He said: "We believe there are cylinders involved and we need to be very careful. They can take up to 24 hours to cool and that's our priority at the moment." | He said: "We believe there are cylinders involved and we need to be very careful. They can take up to 24 hours to cool and that's our priority at the moment." |
| No-one else is thought to have been hurt in the explosion, on the A689. | No-one else is thought to have been hurt in the explosion, on the A689. |
| Are you near the area? Did you see or hear what happened? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. | Are you near the area? Did you see or hear what happened? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. |
| Send your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100 Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Send your pictures and moving footage to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 07725 100 100 Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |