Thornton Heath fire: Four rescued, fire squad searches debris

At least fourpeople have been rescued and hospitalized after a house collapsed in a fire and explosion in Thornton Heath located in the souther part of London.

A spokesperson of London Ambulance Service said one more person was being treated at the incident spot itself. Firefighters controlled the fire; however, it was still unclear whether more people were trapped in the debris.

Around six fire engines and 40 firefighters rushed to the spot. The incident occurred on Monday morning and The Brigade was informed about it at 7:08 am.


The teams of firefighters were called from Mitcham, Norbury, Woodside, West Norwood, and other fire stations located near the incident spot. A team of paramedics also arrived at the explosion site. Besides, police officers reached the area, took all the necessary measures, and informed the Metropolitan Police.

According to the police, the explosion and fire were caused by gas leakage. The blast was so huge that it damaged the nearby buildings as well. Besides, some area residents explained that the explosion's sound was as massive as that of a bomb.

One of the residents said he came out of his home immediately after hearing a loud noise, only to find that it eradicated the house. He also informed that the police did not let the public near the spot because of the gas leakage.



Other residents described that they also saw a helicopter circling the damaged house. Some others took to social media and expressed their concerns.

One resident wrote on Facebook that the explosion scared the "life out" of him. Another person posted that his home also felt a jolt even though he was two roads down from the spot of the incident.