A man in his 50s has died following a house explosion in Nottinghamshire that destroyed a terraced home and caused significant damage to neighbouring properties.
Emergency services were called to John Street in Worksop at 7.39pm on Saturday (13 April) after reports of a blast inside the property. The man was found in the debris and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
Chief Inspector Clive Collings of Nottinghamshire Police said: “This is an extremely serious incident that has led to a man’s untimely death.
“The man’s family have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. I have no doubt that this incident will have come as a shock to the community in Worksop.”
A major incident was declared as police, firefighters, and structural engineers worked through the night to assess the damage and account for residents.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said the building involved had been “significantly damaged” and that engineers would carry out further assessments on Sunday. Several nearby properties were evacuated as a precaution, and Crown Place Community Centre was opened as a place of safety for affected residents.
Members of the public were urged to avoid the area while investigations continue.
Footage shared on social media showed extensive destruction, with bricks scattered across the street and smoke rising from the site. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion that shook nearby homes.
Karolina Ciolko, who lives nearby, told the BBC: “I was lying in bed when I heard an explosion. I quickly looked out the window. I saw smoke and the car in front of me rocked, and the alarm went off. We quickly ran out of the house to see what had happened.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 quoting incident 612 of 12 April.
