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Rochdale house fire: Two injured and one missing Rochdale house fire: Two men injured
(about 2 hours later)
Two men are being treated in hospital and one man is unaccounted for after a fire caused the gable end of a house to collapse in Greater Manchester. Two men have been treated in hospital after a fire caused the gable end of a house to collapse in Greater Manchester.
The fire, thought to have been caused by an explosion, broke out at an end-of-terrace house in War Office Road, Rochdale, at about 05:10 BST.The fire, thought to have been caused by an explosion, broke out at an end-of-terrace house in War Office Road, Rochdale, at about 05:10 BST.
The men, aged 38 and 60, who are being treated for minor injuries, and a woman, 74, were rescued from the house. The men, aged 38 and 60, who suffered minor injuries, and a woman, 74, were rescued from the house.
A specialist fire team and dog are searching the house for a missing man. A third man unaccounted for has now been located elsewhere.
'Conflicting information''Conflicting information'
Wayne Shields from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "There has been some sort of explosion which has caused the fire on the first floor of the property which has spread to the roof space. There had been concerns the man, who was a resident at the property, could still be in the building after it partially collapsed.
"We don't think there is anyone within the property but there is still one person we can't account for. A specialist team and dog searched the property because of the extent of the structural damage.
"We have got conflicting information about whether he is in the property or not but just to be on the safe side we are searching as best we can to try to find him. The fire service confirmed he was not in the building.
"Due to the structural damage of the end terraced house it's not safe enough to send firefighters inside, so we have been using the urban search and rescue team and search and rescue dog to carry out a systematic search." Wayne Shields from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "There has been some sort of explosion which has caused the fire on the first floor of the property which has spread to the roof space."
He said it was too early to say what caused the explosion but said the fire service was working with National Grid and North West Electricity as well as Greater Manchester Police to assist the investigation into the fire.He said it was too early to say what caused the explosion but said the fire service was working with National Grid and North West Electricity as well as Greater Manchester Police to assist the investigation into the fire.
He said firefighters were likely to remain at the scene for most of the day.He said firefighters were likely to remain at the scene for most of the day.
The 60-year-old man, who was in the house at the time, is being treated for the effects of smoke inhalation while the 38-year-old man is being treated for a suspected fractured arm. The 60-year-old man was taken to hospital to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation while the 38-year-old man has a suspected fractured arm.
A fire service spokesman said one of the men has now been discharged while the other remains in hospital.
Gary Roberts, who lives a few doors away from the house, returned from working a nightshift at 06:30 BST to find the road blocked off.Gary Roberts, who lives a few doors away from the house, returned from working a nightshift at 06:30 BST to find the road blocked off.
He said: "I just got told there was an explosion and we are not allowed to go back to our properties until a structural engineer has been in to check it."He said: "I just got told there was an explosion and we are not allowed to go back to our properties until a structural engineer has been in to check it."