Gas explosion destroys terraced house in Cornish seaside town with bed left hanging outside as two men and woman escape with no serious injuries
- Three people were taken to hospital but only suffered shock and minor injuries
- The explosion rocked other homes in Bude, Cornwall, just after 9pm last night
- Fire crew arrived to find bed and other furniture hanging from devastated home
- The cause of the explosion is not believed to be related to the mains gas network
A gas explosion destroyed a terraced house in a Cornish seaside town last night with a bed left hanging outside.
Three people – two men and a woman – were taken to hospital after the blast in Traly Close, Bude, Cornwall, and only suffered from shock and minor injuries.
Fire and police rescue teams said it was ‘a miracle’ nobody was killed when the end-of-terrace ‘virtually blew up’.
The explosion rocked other homes in the street just after 9pm last night when families were tucked up indoors, sheltering from Storm Christoph raging outside.
Glenn Thorne, Wales & West Utilities Gas Emergency Service Manager for Bude, said the cause of the explosion is still being determined but it is not believed to be related to the mains gas network.
Dramatic images show the house in Traly Close, Bude, Cornwall, which was left destroyed with a bed hanging outside after a gas explosion at around 9pm last night
A side view of the devastated home in a Cornish seaside town. Three people – two men and a woman – were taken to hospital and escaped with no serious injuries
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service arrived to find the bed and other furniture hanging from the devastated house, for which the damage bill will run into tens of thousands of pounds.
There were reports of a strong smell of gas in the area as fire teams from Bude and Holsworthy, backed up by specialist shoring equipment, tried to stop the two-storey house collapsing completely.
A fire spokesman said ‘on crews’ arrival they confirmed that there were no casualties trapped within the damaged structure.’
Neighbours were evacuated as the smell of gas persisted, and were found emergency accommodation for the night.
Ms Thorne told Cornwall Live: ‘On arrival we found that the property had been damaged and emergency services were in control of the scene.
‘We worked with the emergency services to make the area safe and carried out all necessary gas safety checks. We have found no evidence of a mains gas leak in the area and the property itself was not connected to our gas network.
Rubble and other furniture can be seen hanging outside the house in Cornwall. The cause of the explosion is not believed to be related to the mains gas network
‘The cause of the explosion is still being investigated by the emergency services, however, we do not believe it is related to the mains gas network.’
Devon and Cornwall Police said this morning: ‘Police were called at 9pm yesterday evening, Wednesday 20th January, with a report that a gas explosion had occurred inside a residential property on Traly Close, Bude, resulting in the partial destruction of the property, an end of terrace house.
‘The fire service, ambulance service, and a structural engineer attended. Three occupants, two men and a woman, were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
‘The next door residents were evacuated. All those affected have found alternative accommodation. The house remains cordoned off this morning.’
Speaking this morning, a fire spokesman added that crew were waiting for a structural surveyor to arrive and assess the stability of the home.