ROKER EXPLOSION UPDATE: One man now in critical condition after suspected gas blast

Emergency services were called to a suspected gas explosion at an address in Whickham Street, on Tuesday afternoon.

Two men were rescued from the scene, including one from inside the destroyed property.

One man was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital and another to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary. Police said on Tuesday evening that their injuries were not deemed to be life-threatening at this time.

However, in an updated statement on Wednesday morning, the force said: “One man’s condition has since deteriorated and he is currently in a critical but stable condition.”

Police remained at the scene on Wednesday morning.

Northern Gas Networks teams were also still on site today supporting the investigation.

Fergal O’Donovan, Business Operations Lead for Northern Gas Networks said: “Our engineers arrived on site yesterday afternoon at the request of the emergency services, to assist with their investigations.

“We remain on site today to support the investigation as it continues.”

Gentoo said it owned the two properties affected in the suspected blast and would be supporting those affected, including offering temporary accommodation.

Residents and onlookers described the scene as looking like “a war zone.”

John Waterworth, who lives next door to the destroyed property, was unable to stay in his own home on Tuesday night and had to go to a friend’s address in Newcastle.

He said: "There was an explosion, I was at work at the time, that's as far as I know.

"My son phoned me when I was at work because he thought I was in the house. I've just started a new job so he thought I would be in.

"He just told me there had been some damage in Whickham Street. The lad next door, we're trying to find out what happened to him, I heard he's been taken to hospital but we're none the wiser.”

John’s son John Ellis added: "I got a phone call at approximately 4.30pm to say there had been a big explosion at the flat or in the area.

"My dad normally works night shift so I was thinking if he was in the house. Luckily he's just started a new job and has been on two days of training.

"He wasn't answering initially because he was at his new job, but luckily he picked up and it was sheer relief - I thought he was dead to be honest. I picked him up from work and we rushed down here and you can see it's been completely decimated.

"It looks like a gas leak, the guy next door, on his flat the roof's off, the front's collapsed, the back's collapsed, the wall between my flat and his flat is gone. It just like something out a war zone, it looks like a bomb's hit it.”

Walter Taylor, of Dock Street Tower, heard the explosion. He said: "I was in the kitchen, it wasn't like an explosion, it was more like a whoosh, if anything, and then I saw the smoke and all the lads from the garage running up.

"I came out of the house, looked over the back way and all the lads were clearing the rubbish and all the roof and everything was off, so I knew straight away it was a gas explosion.

"I just stayed there for a while till the emergency services turned up.”

Steve Thomas, group manager for TWFRS said: "As you can see from the scene, it was quite a serious blast and the building is in a fair state of disrepair now.

"Crews were on scene very quickly, we were able to identify that there was one person unaccounted for still at the time and we made a very quick committal into the premises to perform a rescue.

"This was all done while making sure it was safe and that our crews were at no real risk at the time.

"In terms of the two individuals involved, and obviously our thoughts go out to them and we hope they have a speedy recovery, one gentleman was found outside the premises with blast injuries.

"The other was upstairs on the first floor suffering with blast injuries.

"The rescue was performed quite quickly, we were able to get in, provide any emergency medical attention we needed to do, get them onto a stretcher and bring them safely downstairs.

"We handed them over to paramedics who were here very quickly and were very good supporting us throughout.

"In terms of the property which was the main affected one, both the front and rear walls are missing from that premise, all the roof tiles have come from the roof - so that and the property below will be un-occupiable for a period of time.

"And our concerns are that we have two storms incoming.

"We will be cordoning off the area, but we would ask people to stay a nice, safe distance from it, particularly as those winds pick up and debris is likely to be released."

A spokesman for Gentoo said: “Reports indicate this may have been a gas explosion, however investigations are ongoing, and we are cooperating with the emergency services and the local authority.

“We are doing everything that we can to offer as much support as possible to tenants, including providing temporary accommodation.

“The safety of our residents is our priority and we have staff at the scene offering support. We are clearly concerned for the wellbeing for the two confirmed casualties that have been taken to local hospitals. Our thoughts are with the casualties and their families at this difficult time.”

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