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House in Southampton destroyed by 'gas explosion' | House in Southampton destroyed by 'gas explosion' |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A four-year-old girl and her father have been pulled alive from the rubble of a house destroyed by a suspected gas explosion in the early hours. | |
The blast completely destroyed the end-of-terrace house in the Shirley area of Southampton at about 01:30 GMT. | The blast completely destroyed the end-of-terrace house in the Shirley area of Southampton at about 01:30 GMT. |
Neighbours in Howards Grove rescued the 36-year-old man and his daughter. | Neighbours in Howards Grove rescued the 36-year-old man and his daughter. |
They were taken to Southampton General Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries but both have since been discharged. | They were taken to Southampton General Hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries but both have since been discharged. |
The little girl's mother was at work at the time of the blast. | |
Steve Buchanan-Lee, station manager with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It's quite a scene - the fact that the people who were inside the property had been rescued by local residents prior to our arrival is nothing short of a miracle." | Steve Buchanan-Lee, station manager with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It's quite a scene - the fact that the people who were inside the property had been rescued by local residents prior to our arrival is nothing short of a miracle." |
Four other houses were evacuated and other properties had their windows blown out. | Four other houses were evacuated and other properties had their windows blown out. |
'Doors blown off' | |
Next-door neighbour Kevin Crook said the blast caused major damage at his own house. | |
"I was fast asleep in bed, there was a massive great bang and I couldn't believe what I saw," he said. | |
"I saw brick rubble all over the conservatory, the doors were all blown off, the big patio doors all blown off, the TV was over on its face, everything just crashed - it's like the house has had a great big shake. The walls are all done in. | |
"As I went to the front door, the toilet's all gone, that's all just rubble. | |
"I was concerned for next door but, to be honest, I didn't think they would have made it, but they have. It's unbelievable." | |
Firefighters worked to ensure there was no further collapse of the building. | Firefighters worked to ensure there was no further collapse of the building. |
An exclusion zone is in place while engineers from Southern Gas Networks (SGN) and Southampton City Council investigate the cause of the explosion. | |
A SGN spokesman said engineers had isolated the gas supply to the property and supplies to other properties were unaffected. |