Residents hurt in pensioner flats blast

Epworth Court in Chapel Street, in the Bentley area of Doncaster, was evacuated early yesterday following the devastating blast.

Shocked elderly residents were looked after by staff in the nearby Bay Horse Hotel, which was also damaged by the explosion, before being transferred to a Doncaster Council care centre later in the morning.

Chapel Street, nearby side roads and part of High Street were closed to traffic after serious damage was caused to two of the 14 one-bedroomed flats in the block.

The landlord of the Bay Horse Hotel, John Parfitt, said the pub was shaken by the loud blast shortly before 7am.

He said: "There was a big bang and it was really quite scary. The alarms at the pub all started going off as well and one of our windows was broken.

"Then, when I went outside to see what was going on, I saw that all of the front of the flats had been blown off. It was a

real mess and really shocking to see.

"All the people who live in the flats were then brought into the pub and we put tea and coffee on for them. They were distressed elderly people who were really quite shaken up so we did our best to help them."

Early reports indicated that one resident of the flats was unaccounted for, so the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service sent in search and rescue dogs from the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire fire services.

A fire service spokesman said: "The building had collapsed and it wasn't safe to send firefighters in there. The dogs are used to search for live casualties and they went up to the person's flat, but couldn't find anything.

"Then, the technical rescue team excavated the collapsed stairwell and the dogs went back into the building, but they still couldn't find anything.

"The police dogs, which search for fatal casualties, were then sent in and they couldn't find anything either."

It was later discovered that the missing resident had been staying away from home.

A spokesman for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service said three residents were taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary, one with serious burns and the others suffering from breathing difficulties.

Around 30 firefighters, as well as paramedics, police and staff from the gas and electricity services were at the scene yesterday before leaving at 2.30pm.

A fire service spokesman said the service was investigating "the possibility of a domestic gas explosion".

Doncaster Council's director of adult services, Joan Beck, said the authority would be sending out structural engineers to assess the damage to properties.

She added: "The council is working with partner agencies to support the residents affected and make the surrounding area safe, including the clearing up of debris on the main road.

"We have moved a number of people, many of whom are vulnerable, to a nearby rest centre where we are caring for them and assessing their needs."

South Yorkshire Housing Association has opened an emergency helpline number for people to call with issues and concerns about accommodation.

The helpline number is 07501 222 678.