A woman was thrown from the upstairs flat into the garden after a suspected gas explosion ripped through the building.
Residents close to the block of flats have said those inside had a 'lucky escape', with a further 15 people evacuated from nearby properties in the aftermath. Emergency services were called to the explosion just after 6pm on Tuesday evening, with police officers, fire crews, paramedics, and an air ambulance all called out to handle the incident.
The explosion, the cause of which is yet to be confirmed, caused major damage to two residential flats in the building, in Tanfields, Skelmersdale, and resulted in three people being taken to the hospital with minor injuries. A further two people received precautionary checks from paramedics at the scene, LancsLive reports.
READ MORE: Investigation into Skelmersdale explosion taken over by police
With nearby residents evacuated and dozens without power, a multi-agency investigation was launched to find out the cause of the explosion. Compared with the chaos of Tuesday night, there is a hushed, muted atmosphere on Tanfields today, with only a handful of police officers patrolling near the cordons. Local residents are now starting to reflect on the incident and how they had a lucky escape.
One of the neighbours evacuated because of the incident spoke to LancsLive, saying that one woman was 'blown from upstairs into the garden', with another man injured while sitting downstairs as the blast happened. They said: "I was inside my house, when I literally just heard a big bang.
"One resident inside from the flat had been sitting downstairs when it happened, and the door hit him on the head. He had a gash on his head.
"A mum in the flat was upstairs inside; she was blown from upstairs into the garden. There were others who escaped from downstairs."
Following the explosion, the back wall of the building was completely destroyed, with a two-seater sofa could be seen hanging precariously out of one of the rooms. In another exposed room, you could see a double bed, clothes, and belongings scattered across a slanted floor.
Throughout Wednesday, a steady flow of residents and neighbours emerged to look at the wreckage from behind the cordon, sharing their stories of the incident. Leanne Glover, of nearby Tarlswood said: "I was in my bedroom with my two year old son when I heard this bang and my house shook from top to bottom and I thought, 'my God'.
"It's literally just around the corner from me; my boyfriend went down and was shocked and concerned for whoever was inside. Thank God there were no kids in there.
"It's very scary to be living in houses similar to this; I'm really scared to be honest, I have got no words for it. I didn't think anything like this would ever happen.
"My son was playing at the time - he's two. I hope they keep on top of it and make sure nothing like this ever happens around here again."
Another resident who did not wish to be named told LancsLive: "I felt the house shake and came down. I helped the firefighters pull the hoses along, then they moved everyone away.
"The houses look flimsy, like they're made of cardboard, looking at the damage. The whole back wall has come off."
A spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service provided an update to the incident on Wednesday afternoon. They said: "All residents who were displaced were provided with alternative accommodation and a handover has been completed with Lancashire Constabulary, who have now taken over this incident. Urban Search and Rescue will soon begin assisting with the removal of debris."
During the initial response to the incident, a spokesperson for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Four fire engines from Skelmersdale, Ormskirk and Bamber Bridge have been called to an explosion in a property on Tanfields, Skelmersdale. Firefighters are working with Lancashire Police and North West Ambulance Service to make the scene safe and treat those people who have been affected by the explosion."
They later added: "Crews will remain on scene overnight. Firefighters evacuated approx 15 people in surrounding properties for safety precautions."
No cause has been given for the explosion as yet, but some are suspecting it to be gas-related, with Cadent Gas engineers attending the scene as part of the emergency response. A spokesperson for Cadent said: "As the gas emergency service, we continue to support the emergency response to the incident in Skelmersdale last night.
"It is too early to speculate on the cause of the explosion. Our teams will remain on site to assist with the investigation. In any case, if you ever smell gas, inside the home or outside, call the national gas emergency service on 0800 111 999* immediately, day or night."
