Woman killed in house explosion

Properties around the scene were evacuated

A woman has died and five other people have been injured in an explosion at a house in North Tyneside.

Properties in streets surrounding the house in Grey Street, North Shields, were evacuated following the blast on Wednesday morning.

A 63-year-old man was seriously injured and four others suffered minor injuries. The cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Northumbria Police said gas officials will examine the scene.

Local authority engineers are assessing whether neighbouring houses sustained blast damage in the explosion.

The 63-year-old man is in a serious condition at Newcastle RVI suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

Four people were taken to North Tyneside General Hospital and released after treatment.

'Horrific' scene

Mike Watson, who lives in nearby Jackson Street, heard the explosion.

He said: "There was a loud bang, so loud we thought it was something in our own home.

"We went outside and walked down the street and it was full of roofing material that had been blown off a roof.

"It was like something from the war, like a bomb had fallen on the street. The cars have their windscreens blown out and the street is full of rubble. It is just horrific."

The explosion happened in a terrace of four houses, two of which belong to North Tyneside Council.

The council has set up a resource centre in the Linskill Centre, Linskill Terrace, to provide food, accommodation and support to those affected by the explosion.

The Health and Safety Executive said it had started an initial investigation and would be liaising with police.