Video: ‘I just picked her up and carried her’ Neighbours tell how they helped Gorleston house explosion pair to safety

Suspected gas explosion on Fredrick Road in Gorleston.Damon Hallsworth who lives opposite the building. Picture: James Bass (Image: (C) Archant Norfolk 2015)

The blast, believed to have been caused by a gas explosion, blew out the left hand wall of the house leaving its ground and first floor completely exposed.

Neighbours in Fredrick Road, Gorleston, described hearing a huge bang which shook their properties and told how they helped the two casualties, a man and a woman, away from the rubble that spilt across the street.

All emergency services attended and one half of the narrow residential road was blocked off with firefighters, police officers and staff from the gas and electricity boards as they worked to secure the scene.

Suspected gas explosion on Fredrick Road in Gorleston.Picture: James Bass (Image: (C) Archant Norfolk 2015)

The man, in his 50s, and woman, aged in her 40s – who were said to have moved into the rented home just four weeks ago – were taken to the James Paget Hospital for treatment.

Their injuries were described as minor burns by the ambulance service.

Damon Hallsworth, who has lived in Fredrick Road for 18 months, was at home with his wife Kerry and two week old son when the blast happened just after 11.30am yesterday.

The 47-year-old lorry driver said he heard 'an explosion' and dashed across the road to help the woman from the rubble.

Damon said: 'I looked out the window and saw the side of the house had been blown out. There was a man and woman who had been directly hit by the explosion, their skin and hair were burnt.

'The fella had already got himself out, he was clearly in shock. The woman was screaming in agony and was in quite a bad way. I just picked her up and carried her over the bricks and sat her down on the pavement.

'You have got to do what you have got to do. At the end of the day people are in need and I think anybody else would [have done the same].'

Neighbours quickly rallied round with others helping the man away from the house and several calling 999.

Ambulance crews were first on the scene and left soon after to take the pair to hospital.

Firefighters from Gorleston and Great Yarmouth attended along with the Urban Search and Rescue Team from Dereham. Police shut off the road and a cordon was put up to allow the teams to work at the scene.

Staff from UK Power Networks and the gas board isolated the gas and electrical supply to the house, leaving some residents without power.

An inspector from the Health and Safety Executive was expected on the scene and a trading standards officer from Norfolk County Council was called down at the request of the fire service.

Cars were moved out of the way to allow for a fire appliance with an aerial ladder platform to get in front of the house, and crews then set about shoring up the house. Pets from inside the property, including a lizard, were rescued from inside before they got to work.

Deputy chief fire officer Ray Harold said the blast had pulled the brickwork at the front of the house away from the roof and the structural damage combined with the gusty wind had left the house in danger of coming apart.

Speaking from the scene he said: 'We're going to start putting up timber lattice work on both sets of corners to stabilise the structure so it's then safe enough to start putting people inside to start doing an investigation.

'Both of the casualties walked out of the building but were badly burnt. Neighbours have been warned and evacuated where necessary and the electricity is going to have to stay off until we can get the building stabilised.'

Mr Harold said it would take at least two hours for the urban search and rescue team to secure the house and it would then be handed over to a building control officer from the borough council.

He said police were satisfied there was no criminal intent and described the blast as a 'domestic accident'.