Middlesbrough explosion: Man pulled from rubble of house destroyed in blast and flown to hospital
A man has been flown to hospital after locals reportedly pulled him from the rubble of a house that was destroyed in a suspected gas explosion.
The police said a 57-year-old man was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle with serious burn injuries after the blast in Kirkland Walk, Middlesbrough, at about 12.40pm on Tuesday.
A neighbour said “three lads” pulled the “screaming” man from the rubble, while a roofer told local media he carried the injured man out on his back.
People in Kirkland Walk and in neighbouring streets have been told they cannot go back to their homes following the explosion which destroyed much of the house and badly damaged others.
Twelve houses were affected by the blast, police said, adding that while there is no wider threat to public safety, people have should avoid the area.
Kayfee Hameed, a 45-year-old roofer who was driving past the scene, told TeessideLive he helped carry the man away from the scene.
He said: “Everybody was on the grass over there watching. When I drove past I saw the fire at the house. I jumped out and everyone was shouting ‘don’t go, don’t go’.
“I ran inside and I said ‘is anybody there?’ The man was laid down there were all rocks on his leg. He was just shocked. I told him to come closer because the fire was coming down. I put him on my back and got him out.”
Pic: PA
Meanwhile, Michael Clark, who lives with his wife in Kirkland Walk, said: “Three lads went in and pulled him out of the rubble.
“They didn’t hesitate, they went straight in, they were worried there was going to be another explosion.
“The man was screaming in the rubble.
“The man looked terrible when they brought him out.”
The 69-year-old added: “All his clothes were stuck to him and they looked like rags.
“His hair was all burned, everything, from top to bottom.”
Mr Clark said the neighbouring house to the explosion has lost a bedroom and other homes’ roofs were badly damaged.
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Pic: PA
Michelle Garner, 51, who lives in a nearby street with her French bulldog Titan, has also been told she cannot go home yet.
She said: “The whole house was shaking.
“I jumped up and opened the front door and saw all the smoke and everyone was moving around and there was no house left.”
Ms Garner and Mr Clark estimated that about 50 homes could have been evacuated, possibly affecting more than 100 people.
They have been told they can gather at a local primary school.
An air ambulance took the man to hospital after landing on a nearby green.
Pic: PA
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The Great North Air Ambulance Service said: “Our team activated at 12.46pm to an incident in Middlesbrough.
“We had two doctors and two paramedics respond to the scene and they worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat a patient.
“The patient is being airlifted to hospital.”
Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade, North East Ambulance Service and Northern Powergrid have been working together at the scene to make it safe.
A large cordon was in place at the scene where there were at least three ambulances, four fire engines and five gas engineers’ vans.
Local residents, including children who had finished school for the day, gathered at the cordon to watch the emergency services response.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.
It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.
He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.
Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.
“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.
“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”
Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.
Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.
Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister
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As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.
She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.
On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.
“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”
Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.
The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.
Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA
They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.
Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.
The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee
The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee
Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.
Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.
Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.
“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”
The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.
Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.
Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.
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