Following an explosion in Croydon this morning, a terraced home collapsed, prompting dozens of firemen to rush to the site of the fire.
Just after 7 a.m., some 40 firemen and six fire engines arrived at the site at Thornton Heath on Galpin’s Road.
According to the Thornton Heath Chronicle, one guy was treated for burn wounds at the site, and witnesses said they saw three individuals being carried away on stretchers.
Following reports of ceilings falling in adjoining buildings, firefighters freed another individual from a neighboring building.
The explosion left neighbors alarmed; some believed “a bomb had gone off,” and one person said they could still smell gas hours later.
According to the London Fire Brigade (LFB), it remains unknown what caused the fire and explosion.
Since the incident began at 7:08 a.m., LFB reported receiving 13 calls about it and advised the public to stay away.
The explosion was heard by adjacent residents this morning, and one said on Facebook that it “frightened the life out of me.”
I’m just across from Galpin’s, where the helicopter is hovering and sirens can be heard, according to The Mirror.
I heard it as I was getting ready for work and thought it sounded like an explosion, but I was hoping I was incorrect and that it was at a construction site or something, one user added.
One more person commented: “That was one loud blast, thought a bomb had gone off.”
Residents of neighboring Carisbrooke Road were being evacuated from their homes due to fears of another explosion, one neighbor who lives there told MyLondon that they could “still strongly smell gas, even two roads away.”
There has been a significant fire explosion event on Galpins Road, Thornton Heath in the Pollards Hill area, local councillor Martin Whelton tweeted.
There are emergency personnel on the site. I hope everyone is well, but there is not much information at this time.
Six fire engines and around 40 firemen were sent to a fire and explosion on Galpin’s Road in Thornton Heath, according to a London Fire Brigade spokeswoman.
‘After an explosion, a terraced home has fallen.
Thirteen calls to the incident have been answered by the Brigade’s 999 Control Officers.
‘At 07:08, the Brigade was summoned. Firefighters from the nearby fire stations in Norbury, Mitcham, West Norwood, and Woodside were on the scene.
“At this moment, the origin of the fire and explosion remains unknown.”
The presence of police has been verified by the Metropolitan Police. Officers are on the scene at Galpin’s Road as part of the emergency services response to this incident, according to a tweet. For updates, please follow @LondonFire.
It was announced that London Ambulance Service is also responding to the event.