Search teams deployed after house explosion

A search has begun to account for residents after a house was destroyed in a gas explosion.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) said specialist urban search and rescue teams were deployed on Sunday morning, after a terraced property was damaged in John Street in Worksop.

Nearby homes were evacuated and a major incident was declared after the blast, which happened just before 20:00 BST on Saturday.

No details of casualties have yet been confirmed by emergency services.

A fire service spokesperson said: "The building involved in this explosion has been significantly damaged.

"Structural engineers will be assessing the situation later today, but people are still advised to avoid the area.

"Three fire engines remain on scene at this incident, with fire crews working alongside specialist urban search and rescue teams to account for all local residents."

People are advised to avoid the area

Ch Insp Neil Humphris, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "This is a major incident and emergency services will remain at the scene throughout the night.

"Multiple properties have been evacuated as we work with our partners to respond to this incident and understand how it happened."

The Crown Place Community Centre was opened for residents and police remained at the scene to provide assistance.

Other emergency services - including fire services and Lancashire Urban Search and Rescue - are also at the scene.

John Street remained cordoned off on Sunday, along with other nearby roads, but rubble from the building was visible in the street.

The BBC's Sally Bowman, who is at the scene, said a cherry picker vehicle had been used and that specialist search officers emerged from the area covered in dust.

Marie Mallion said she saw people running towards the house to try to help

Marie Mallion, 33, who lives in nearby Manvers Street, said: "I was sat watching TV with my dogs and we had this massive crash. The dogs went wild.

"Everyone came out of their doors. I felt like something had fallen on the roof – it was so loud – almost as if a bomb had hit it or an earthquake.

"Everything shook in the house and things fell everywhere. It was scary."

She said she went outside and saw people running down the street.

"Police arrived very quickly. There were lots of people running to help, trying to check that people were OK and trying to move some of the rubble. I saw that from a distance," she said.

'My house shook'

Penny Marriott, 62, who lives near John Street, said: "I was just sitting down to eat my tea and I've never heard a noise like it.

"It was really, really intense.

"I thought the flat upstairs had collapsed through into my bedroom. That's how bad it was.

"I came out the front and saw all the smoke and everything.

"Then it all swarmed. There were people everywhere, the police, fire crews.

"The noise was awful. I can't think of a word to describe it. I never want to hear it ever again.

"You just couldn't make any sense of the chaos. It was just crazy."

A 26-year-old woman, who lives near the scene, told the BBC: "I was aware something had happened when my house shook."

She said she had heard someone had reported a gas smell, on John Street, a few days ago.

"I have two young children so I needed to check what was happening to see if it was safe for them to stay there," she added.

"It was hectic. A lot of people were arguing with the police because they were not allowing them near the home.

"A lot of homes got evacuated."

Karolina Ciolko, who lives nearby, told the BBC: "I was lying in bed when I heard an explosion.

"I quickly looked out the window. I saw smoke and the car in front of me rocked and the alarm went off. We quickly ran out of the house to see what had happened."

Another woman, who lives on John Street, said: "I heard the explosion and saw the black smoke.

"I started crying because it was horrible.

"We were told we had to leave the house and we are waiting to see if we can go back."

Emergency services will remain at the scene in John Street, Worksop, through the day