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Oldham explosion

The latest on the blast in a suburb of Greater Manchester

A child has died after a massive explosion wrecked a house in the Shaw area of Oldham, police said.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:42:34 PM
Another individual is trapped and a third is unaccounted for.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:42:42 PM
Emergency services are at the scene of the incident, which has affected a number of terraced properties.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:43:38 PM
A spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service said one patient had been taken by helicopter to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester with 80% burns.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:43:58 PM
This graphic locates the site of the explosion in the Shaw area of Oldham.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:44:21 PM
The explosion is thought to have been caused by a gas leak.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:46:22 PM
Greater Manchester Fire Service said more than 30 firefighters were at the scene carrying out a search of the immediate area.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:47:51 PM
Emergency services described the explosion as "very serious".

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:48:14 PM
Superintendent Neil Evans of Greater Manchester Police told reporters at the scene that the child had been confirmed dead.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:48:18 PM
Supt Evans said: "This is an ongoing search and rescue effort and we are offering our full support to the fire and other emergency services."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:48:38 PM
He added: "Our main and immediate focus right now is to assist in ensuring those injured in the explosion get any medical assistance that they need."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:48:42 PM
Police said the emergency services were alerted shortly after 11.15am. (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service/PA)

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:49:01 PM
The spokeswoman for the North West Ambulance Service added: "We are currently assessing the scene and working closely with other members of the emergency services, with our priority being to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:50:34 PM
Several houses were damaged in the blast.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:50:46 PM
In a statement, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: "One man has been rescued following a possible gas explosion in Shaw in Oldham."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:50:50 PM
"The control room has received numerous calls from members of the public and the initial information from the public is that it involves a number of terraced properties in Duchess Street with possibly people trapped."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:50:54 PM
Steve McGuirk, chief fire officer for Greater Manchester, said in a tweet: "Just had an update on the incident in Oldham - very serious, we have crews and search and rescue teams on scene working hard."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:51:18 PM
Greater Manchester Fire Service said more than 30 firefighters were at the scene carrying out a search of the immediate area.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:51:58 PM
Those involved included specialist search and rescue teams, with a dog, and colleagues from Lancashire Fire Service.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:52:02 PM
Alex Perkins, who lives on Buckley Street, told the BBC: "It's like a war zone - tiles that have blown off literally across the streets, there's just debris everywhere."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:53:22 PM
"It's just empty, there's nothing there, just bricks on the floor, just rubble."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:53:30 PM
Georgian Ulla, who lives on Buckley Street, added: "All the lights shook - I thought someone was breaking in to begin with.
"First thing that I saw was all the toys on the floor. Apparently there are kids that live in the house."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:53:48 PM
Windows were shattered in nearby houses from the force of the explosion.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:54:00 PM
Shaw ward councillor Mark Alcock, who lives a quarter of a mile away, said: "An end-terrace house has been completely flattened and properties up to 800 metres away have had their windows blown in. It's a real mess."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:54:50 PM
Superintendent Neil Evans of Greater Manchester Police confirmed a child had died in the explosion, a further victim was in hospital with 80% burns, another male unaccounted for and a fourth person trapped.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:55:26 PM
"One individual we can see, we are trying to remove debris to get that person out," he added.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:55:34 PM
No further information has been given on any of the four people involved in the explosion.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:55:50 PM
Mr Evans said gas was "one element" the investigation will focus on.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:55:54 PM
A statement on the Greater Manchester Police website said police, fire and ambulance services are at the scene and a cordon is being put in place.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 1:57:58 PM
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters are continuing to search the surrounding area.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:00:14 PM
In a statement, National Grid confirmed that it received a report of a smell of gas in the Edmund Street and Buckley Street area of Shaw at 10.40am today.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:01:06 PM
It added: "This was shortly followed by another call to report that there had been an explosion.
"Engineers arrived on site to find that five properties (no 7 to 13 Buckley Street) had been badly damaged."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:01:15 PM
"So far, NG engineers have been unable to get into these properties to conduct an investigation but the gas mains in Buckley Street and Chancery Lane have been cut off for safety.
"Around 100 homes in the area have been evacuated."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:01:38 PM
A police spokesman at the scene told the BBC: "There's one individual the fire service can see. They are trying to remove the debris to get that individual out."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:02:10 PM
He said it was a search and rescue operation. "The priority is to preserve life and prevent further injury."

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:02:14 PM
A statement from Oldham Council can be read here.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:03:46 PM
The council said several roads were closed including Crompton Way, which is closed from the junction of Rochdale Road to Linney Lane. Rochdale Road is closed between Beal Lane and Linney Lane.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:04:38 PM
Buckley St, Oak St and Edmund St are also closed, the council said.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:05:46 PM
The scene centres on a house near Buckley Street and Duchess Street in the Shaw area of Oldham.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:06:46 PM
The property was destroyed and a number of others were wrecked in the blast.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:07:50 PM
Shaw: there is now a cordon in Shaw Centre, for safety issues members of the public won't be able to enter it.

by GMPRoytonShaw via twitter 6/26/2012 2:12:10 PM
A rest centre is being set up at Crompton House school for people affected by the Shaw explosion. Refreshments & assistance available.

by Oldham Council via twitter 6/26/2012 2:12:46 PM
Motorists are advised to avoid the Shaw area to enable emergency rescue work to continue.

by Oldham Council via twitter 6/26/2012 2:14:06 PM
The explosion reduced three terrace houses to rubble.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:14:34 PM
According to locals, the man seriously injured is named Anthony Williamson and lives at one of the rented properties with his partner, mother-of-six Tanya Williamson.

by Sarah Tawton, Press... 6/26/2012 2:14:38 PM

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