Man in hospital with serious injuries following suspected gas explosion at house in Leeds

A man has been rushed to hospital after an explosion at a house in Leeds on New Year's Day.

Just after 10.30pm on 1 January, police, paramedics and fire crews were alerted to an explosion at an address in Yeadon.

The owner of the house, a 57-year-old man, was found with serious injuries and taken to hospital where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

Aimee Olivia, who witnessed the event, said: "Sirens everywhere, blue lights. All this road was full of blue lights, gridlocked. Everyone was panicking really hoping he's ok.

The man's neighbour, Andrew Fielden, went to his aid.

He said: "He just came out of the house and said 'look at my caravan'. I said never mind about your caravan you're lucky to be alive. It's as if a bomb's gone off in there isn't it?

"It's blown all his windows out. The partition wall, it's blown that into the other house.

"So two houses that will need to be demolished maybe - I'd have thought so anyway, they won't be able to save them, not a chance."

The explosion triggered a temporary evacuation of several houses on the cul-de-sac.

Another neighbour, Rebecca Brown, said: "At first I thought a car had crashed into the house it was so loud. Everything was shaking so we came down and people were saying it was fireworks and I said there's no way that was fireworks.

"Someone came running from around the corner, and that was it - just absolute chaos."

All residents were given the green light to return to their properties in the early hours of the morning except for those in two homes.

A spokesperson for the force said: "Initial investigations suggest it was a gas explosion, the source of the gas is currently under investigation."

Two properties have sustained substantial damage from the blast. Engineers from Leeds City Council are due to assess the structures.

Northern Gas has made the gas mains connected to local residences safe.

The area has been roped off from the public by authorities, with police adding that cordons on Marshall Street will remain in place throughout Thursday as further investigations take place.

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