Man dies and two taken to hospital after large explosion at Edinburgh house

A man, aged 84, has died following a large explosion at a house in Edinburgh

An 84-year-old man who died after an explosion at an Edinburgh house has been named locally as James Smith.

Officials had earlier said two people were rescued after the blast at a home in Baberton Mains Avenue at around 10.25pm on Friday.

A 43-year-old woman and 54-year-old man were taken to hospital for treatment. Their condition is not currently known.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said five crews were deployed to the scene and that two people had been rescued from the ruins of the home before their arrival.

Mr Smith was in a neighbouring property, according to the PA news agency. His next of kin have been informed.

Police said there are no suspicious circumstances.

The explosion was so violent, neighbours say they felt their own homes shake.

Several properties were evacuated as a precaution and the road remained closed on Saturday morning.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews left the scene at 6.39am on Saturday after handing control to Police Scotland, having spent eight hours there.

Video footage capturing the aftermath of the scene showed a home on a residential road with the entire left side of the property missing, with debris strewn across the road and on vehicles.

A spokeswoman for gas distributor SGN said the body was brought in to assist emergency services and “ensure the immediate vicinity” was “made safe”, adding it was “too early to speculate” on the cause of the explosion.

“Our deepest sympathies are with the family of the man who has tragically died as well as those who have been injured," it said.

“While it is too early to speculate as to what has happened, we are working closely with the authorities to help discover the cause.”

A Go Fund Me was launched following the blast "for a family who have tragical lost their home due to a devastating gas explosion in Edinburgh Baberton".

The organiser said they have "lost everything and their home" just weeks before Christmas.

Some locals reported hearing the explosion as far away as Gilmerton, a suburb miles from the blast site.

Neighbours said they felt their homes shaking, while another person posted that they had heard the blast from inside a cinema in nearby Wester Hailes.

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