The first pictures of a suspected gas explosion in Leeds have been shared – with witnesses coming forward to give their accounts of the New Year’s Day blast. The explosion occurred just after 10:30pm, leaving one man in hospital with serious injuries.
The blast, which happened on Marshall Street in Yeadon and is said to have sounded like a bomb going off, was heard for miles with residents telling stories of their homes shaking. According to people living nearby, the house had all the windows and doors blown off with debris everywhere – with a nearby caravan being ‘blown to smithereens’.
Andrew Fielden lives just around the corner and heard a loud bang. Speaking to LeedsLive, he said: “I heard a big bang and felt the house shake. Everything shook. We saw all the debris and windows in the street. We saw all his windows in the garden and his doors blown off”
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He says a man emerged from the wrecked house. “He just walked out of the house; unbelievable – he’s lucky to be alive.“
Andrew and another man checked the injured man over. “He didn’t seem to be badly injured. He said ‘bloody hell, look at my caravan.’ I says ‘never mind your caravan mate – you’re alive mate. You’re lucky to be alive.”
Nearby resident Aimee Olivia, 20, added: “I heard the explosion, it was a massive bang that shook my whole house and it happened at the top of my street.
“I have never heard anything like it before. It sounded like a bomb had gone off.”
She added that her neighbours had reported having doorbell footage of the explosion “blowing their windows in”.
Police cordon at Marshall Street in Yeadon after suspected gas explosion -Credit:Andrew Robinson / YorkshireLive
When emergency crews arrived at the Marshall Street home, a 57-year-old man was discovered suffering from serious injuries.
Two properties sustained substantial damage, with authorities evacuating nearby homes.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed that most residents had received the green light to return to their homes by 4.30am, except for two homes that are yet to be cleared.
Police said initial investigations suggest that gas may have ignited and therefore triggered the Marshall Street explosion.
Police and gas engineers at scene of explosion in Marshall Street, Yeadon, Leeds -Credit:Andrew Robinson / YorkshireLive
The source of the gas is currently under investigation. Northern Gas has made the gas mains connected to local residences safe.
The area has been roped off from the public by authorities, with police adding that cordons on Marshall Street will remain in place throughout Thursday as further investigations take place.