Blast homes to be assessed for structural damage

The damaged homes will be assessed for structural damage, councillors said

A structural assessment is to be carried out to determine if two homes can be saved after an explosion left a man in a critical condition.

The 57-year-old victim was severely burned after the blast destroyed a semi-detached house in Kirkland Walk, Middlesbrough, on Tuesday afternoon.

Park End and Beckfield councillors said houses near the blast site would be assessed, after police had finished at the scene, to decide whether they needed to be demolished.

Residents in the square and surrounding streets were evacuated from their homes following the explosion, which damaged 11 other houses, on Tuesday afternoon.

The councillors said in a joint statement: "Plans are being formulated to do a structural assessment of the building and the house next door to see if they can be saved, once the police have finished their investigations."

Roofer Kayfee Hameed described how he and a woman went to help after he saw smoke while he was driving in the street.

Mr Hameed said he "just wanted to save the guy's life" and helped pull him from the rubble.