A resident described the moment a terraced house exploded overnight as “like a nuclear bomb going off”.
Two people have been seriously injured in the blast in Spring Hall Grove, Halifax, West Yorkshire, which happened just after midnight on Thursday.
CCTV showed a large blast, followed by dozens of smaller bangs, with people coming out into the street and shouting: “Everyone get out of the house.”
The explosion appeared to have ripped the roof off at least one home, sending debris into the street.
Videos showed fire leaping from the roof and a series of smaller explosions lasting several minutes.
West Yorkshire Police said 14 homes were evacuated and two people were seriously injured, with a third requiring treatment for minor injuries.
One man, who asked not to be identified, lives around 20 metres from the blast.
He told the PA news agency: “It was like a nuclear bomb going off.
“Everyone was screaming ‘get out of the house’.
“I got my kids out and we went in the back.
“There’s bricks and tiles in the street, all the cars are dented, and there are butane gas canisters in the street.
“There was a family with children living next door to the house and a middle-aged woman with a dog.
“Our house was shaking and could feel the whole thing tremble when the first bang went off.
“I looked outside and there was fire everywhere.”
Sheena Bashir was woken up by the blast which happened less than a minute’s walk from her home.
She said: “It was so unreal, you see stuff like that in the movies, not round here.
“I was asleep and then I heard something like a bomb had gone off.
“I looked out of the window and could see the house was absolutely lit.”
While Mrs Bashir was on the phone to the emergency services smaller bangs after the initial blast could be heard.
She said: “There was one big bang and a lot of smaller ones.”
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We sent five crews, plus the technical rescue and command unit.
“The explosion had affected six houses.
“Crews used large jets and an aerial ladder to extinguish the fire.
“Three people were taken to hospital.”
West Yorkshire Police said: “Officers at the scene assisted with closing the road and evacuating the occupants of 14 houses.
“Two people from one property were taken to hospital with serious injuries and a third person, from another property, has received treatment for minor injuries.
“The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.”
Northern Gas Networks said it was assisting but said the incident was “not suspected to be related to our network”.
