Two seriously injured after ‘explosion’ destroys house

One neighbour said the blast ‘shook the whole street’.

Two men have been seriously injured in a suspected gas explosion which blew the front of a house off and caused a major fire.

Firefighters were called to the property on Crescent Walk, in Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury, at 11.37am on Tuesday. One man has been taken to hospital with injuries caused in the incident, while the second, a 55-year-old man, was injured by falling debris, police said.

Photos posted by neighbours on social media show the façade completely ripped away. A fire could also be seen burning through the inside, with flames visible through the collapsed roof.

One neighbour said the blast ‘shook the whole street’.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, including police, ambulance and fire engines from neighbouring towns, while rescue dogs were deployed to try to find people who may have been in the rubble.

At its height, six fire engines and a helicopter attended the blaze along with the NHS’s Hazardous Area Response Team.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: ‘Police were called to a Crescent Walk, Dewsbury, at about 11.37am this morning to a report of a house fire.

‘Officers and fire and ambulance services attended the incident in which it was apparent a property had suffered significant damage and was on fire.

‘A 55-year-old man in the house was taken to hospital to be treated for serious injuries caused by the incident. The injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

‘Another male who suffered a head injury after being struck by debris was treated at the scene.

‘He was later taken to hospital for further treatment to the injury which is not life threatening.

‘Initial enquiries into the cause of the fire are ongoing with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.’

A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: ‘We got a call at 11.37am this morning to reports of an explosion at a domestic property in Crescent Walk, in the Ravensthorpe area of Dewsbury.

‘We sent along crews from Mirfield, Dewsbury, Rastrick, Ossett, and Morley. We also sent out technical rescue crews from Cleckheaton, and an aerial appliance from Wakefield.

‘We’ve also got search and rescue dogs attending at the scene as well.’

Police have blocked roads leading to Crescent Walk and are keeping people back, away from the scene.

Witness are urged to call Kirklees CID on 101 referencing log 401 of March 31 with any information.

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