EMERGENCY services remain on the site of a suspected gas explosion in Whitehaven.
Police, the fire service, Cumberland Council and utility companies are on the scene following the incident at Hugh Street in Bransty, yesterday afternoon.
Cumbria Police received a call just after 4.20pm on Tuesday (December 31) reporting a suspected gas explosion at a residential address in the street.
Three casualties – two men and a woman – were taken from the scene to hospital by ambulance having suffered serious injuries.
The affected property on Hugh Street in Whitehaven, where a police cordon remains in place (Image: Newsquest)
Police say work is ongoing to make the area safe and a cordon will remain in place while this work, as well as the investigation into the cause, continues.
People are asked to avoid the area while emergency services personnel carry out their work at the scene.
Displaced residents have either found their own accommodation with family and friends or have been supported by Cumberland Council to find alternative accommodation.
A number of animals have also been rescued by Police.
A number of road closures are in place around the area of Bransty where the explosion happened yesterday (Image: Newsquest)
Superintendent Paddy O’Hara of Cumbria Police has led the multi-agency response to the incident.
He said: “I’d like to thank the local people impacted by this unexpected event for their resourcefulness and patience, as well as emergency service partners, the local authority and other partner agencies for their work following this incident.
“Finally I would like to give particular thanks to the police officers who first responded to the incident. Their efforts to assist people resulted in their being briefly hospitalised with smoke inhalation but I’m pleased to report they have since been discharged from hospital.”
The council, with the support of Cumbria Police, is in the process of contacting affected residents.
A police cordon remains in place while emergency services work to make the area around Hugh Street at Bransty safe (Image: Newsquest)
Anyone else affected by the incident that needs emergency housing support is advised to contact the council’s out of hours Copeland homelessness team at 0300 373 3730 or email housing.options@cumberland.gov.uk
Council offices are back open tomorrow (Thursday 2 January) including the Market Hall in Whitehaven.
Residents are advised to contact the Police Control Room to arrange repatriation with their pets, quoting incident 134 of December 31.
You can contact online at //www.cumbria.police.uk/reportit quoting the above incident number or you can also phone on 101.