A mum wept for her son in the street after he was left in rubble this morning as a nearby home was “completely wiped out” in a suspected gas explosion. Four people were saved from the rubble after six fire engines and around 40 firefighters raced to a terraced property in Thornton Heath, Croydon just after 7am today.
Three residents were rushed to hospital and have potentially life-threatening injuries, it is understood. Another person - whose age is unknown - is still missing, said London Fire Brigade in a statement.
A total of 40 properties have been evacuated as a precaution and a 50-metre cordon is in place, added the fire service. One resident, a 25-year-old woman, said a boy’s bedroom was by the destroyed house.
She told MyLondon : “His mum was out on the street crying ‘My boy, my boy’. They took him to hospital and we’ve heard since that he’s ok.”
Merton Council declared a major incident and confirmed it was a gas explosion. It said in a statement: “We are working with London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police following a major incident at Galpins Road in Pollards Hill.
“Emergency services are on site following a gas explosion at a residential property, at least one property has been destroyed. We are urging people to avoid the area.” The council added that an evacuation centre has been established.
Two neighbours, Kutoya Kukanda, 50, and Delroy Simms, 62, said they helped rescue three children from the rubble, but they feared a girl aged around four or five was still trapped inside. They believed the children’s mother had been evacuated, and said the house next door had also been badly affected by the blast, report Mirror Online.
Some residents at the cordon said they had reported a strong gas smell two weeks ago, and others said they had been feeling dizzy and sick over the last two days. Emergency services treated four people for injuries, with one discharged and three hospitalised.
A LFB spokesperson told reporters at the scene around midday: “I can confirm we are still searching for one more person within the affected property.”
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We have treated four people at an incident in Galpins Road, Thornton Heath. One was discharged on scene and three others were taken to hospital. We remain on scene with our emergency service colleagues.”
It is not known at this time whether anyone is still trapped in the rubble, but firefighters are continuing to search properties. A dramatic aerial image shows the roof completely destroyed and debris strewn across the street in the aftermath of the explosion.
Another photo captured the damage to shared walls of neighbouring homes. One resident who lives across the road said he woke up to a loud bang and rushed out the front door in his pyjamas to find the house had imploded.
He’s been told he can’t go back yet. The man, who has lived there for two years and didn’t want to be named, said: “I woke up so suddenly, I didn’t know what had happened.
“I opened my front door and the house was gone. There are two kids who live there but I don’t know the family.
“I started filming as firefighters showed up and police said I had to leave because of a gas explosion.”
Nearby residents also took to social media saying the bang from the explosion “frightened the life” out of them. They also described seeing a helicopter circling the property.
One local posted on Facebook: “The bang frightened the life out of me. I’m opposite Galpin’s, they have the helicopter circling & can hear sirens.”
Another wrote: “I’m two roads down and my whole house shook. Felt the rumble through my body. How very devastating.” The London Fire Brigade said they had taken 14 calls about the blaze in an update after 10am.
The fire service is asking people to avoid the area as they bring the situation under control. Fire crews from Norbury, Mitcham, West Norwood, Woodside and surrounding fire stations were sent to the scene.
It is unclear how far away the bang could be heard. One person wrote online: “I don’t even live close but I thought I heard a massive bang around that time and couldn’t figure out what it could be. I know sound travels. I hope the residents are all safe.”
Councillor Martin Whelton tweeted: “There has been a serious fire explosion incident in Galpins Road, Thornton Heath in Pollards Hill ward.
“The emergency services are at the scene. Hope everyone is okay but at this stage information is limited.”
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said in a statement: “Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters have been called to a fire and explosion on Galpin’s Road in Thornton Heath. A terraced house has collapsed following an explosion and neighbouring properties have also been damaged.
“Three people have been rescued. The Brigade’s 999 Control Officers have taken 14 calls to the incident. The Brigade was called at 0708. Fire crews from Norbury, Mitcham, West Norwood, Woodside and surrounding fire stations are at the scene.”
The London Ambulance Service earlier tweeted: “We are responding to an incident in #ThorntonHeath and have a number of resources on the scene. Please only call 999 for genuine medical emergencies and use 111 online for any other urgent medical needs.”
The Metropolitan Police also confirmed officers are at the scene. A statement on Twitter said: “Officers are at the scene in Galpin’s Road as part of the emergency services response to this incident. Please follow @LondonFire for updates.”
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
READ NEXT:
- 'Gas explosion' aftermath as devastating images show home burnt out
- Terrified neighbours heard 'huge bang and screams' after house 'explosion'
- Probe into huge gas explosion to focus on condition of estate's pipes
- Explosion rocks as huge blast destroys house as police tell public to stay away
- House devastated by fire after 'huge explosion' heard in Scots town
