Children among four hospitalised after loud explosion 'heard miles around' at house in Ayr

Two adults and two children have been taken to hospital after an explosion at a house in Ayr, in the south-west of Scotland, caused severe damage, with the blast being heard for miles around.

Emergency services responded to calls to the residential Kincaidston area on Monday evening.

Pictures shared on social media showed at least one house had been badly damaged, with debris lying in the street.

ITV News Scotland Correspondent Peter Smith was at the scene of the explosion on Monday evening

One eyewitness, Gareth Clarke, told ITV News he saw a “fireball” and there’s a “hole where a house used to be.”

He said: "I was looking out of the window and I felt a big shake, it sort of took me by surprise.

"I saw a big fireball, lots of debris and bits of paper flying around.

"At first I thought a plan might have crashed and then the shock kind of hit."

Gareth Clarke, a resident in the area, describes seeing a "big fireball" as he looked out of his window on Monday evening

Mr Clarke also described the "sheer panic" of residents in the area.

He said: "It was sheer panic. People were screaming, crying and checking if other people were okay.

"Neighbours were checking if other neighbours were okay, it was a sense of a community in panic."

The scene of the explosion

Euan Bryson, who lives in the adjacent housing estate, tweeted a video showing a fire engine on a smoke-filled street in the aftermath of the explosion.

He said: “Was chaotic. There was personal property and rubble all over the scene.

“The video below doesn’t even do the smoke justice. Could scarcely make out peoples’ faces.”

In a statement, the force said four houses had been affected by the explosion, with “a number of premises evacuated” and two rest centres set up to assist.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Gorse Park at around 7.10pm, police said, adding that local road closures were in place and the public were advised to avoid the area.

The Ayrshire Police Twitter account said: “Two adults and two children have been taken to hospital following an explosion which affected four houses on Gorse Park in Ayr.

"Emergency services are currently at the scene and we would advise people to avoid the area at the present time."

Gas distribution company SGN was helping emergency services.

A spokesman said: “Our engineers are currently assisting the emergency services to ensure the immediate vicinity is made safe in our role as the gas emergency service.”

The fire service said there were still two appliances at the scene at 9.10am on Tuesday morning.