Explosion that blew up house 'terrified' neighbour

A neighbour has said she was "terrified" when a gas explosion destroyed a home on her street.

The blast on Ley Street, in Ilford, east London, sent debris flying into the road and sparked a huge fire in the mid-terraced property on Tuesday evening.

Two people were rescued by the London Fire Brigade from a first-floor window and remain in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Isobel Rowland, 73, who lives opposite the building, said: "The flames were so high, I was terrified, I was shaking, I was absolutely shaking."

Social media footage showed a large explosion

Mrs Rowland heard a bang and believed there had been a car crash but when she checked she saw the home - which had been converted into flats - on fire.

She said "quite a few" people lived there, including a mother and son.

The roof was destroyed in the explosion and much of the rest of the building, including the ground floor, first floor and a loft conversion, was destroyed by the fire.

Two neighbouring properties were also damaged in the blast.

Crews tackled the fire from above

Eight fire engines and about 60 firefighters were sent to Ley Street, just after 16:00 GMT, and the fire was under control by about 18:30.

The LFB said that at the fire's height, the first floor and loft conversion were "fully alight".

The cause of the gas leak is under investigation.