Five hurt in city pub explosion

The boarded-up pub has suffered extensive damage

Five people have been injured in a gas explosion at a disused pub in Leeds.

The blast happened at the Florence Nightingale on Beckett Street, close to St James' Hospital, in the Burmantofts area of the city at 1338 BST.

West Yorkshire Police said the injured were receiving hospital treatment, but their injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

A spokesman said a gas leak had caused the explosion and gas officials had been called to the scene.

One eyewitness Lucy Murgatroyd, who was in the hospital at the time, said: "I heard a bang and when I got to the main entrance the whole pub was gone."

Gas canisters

Five fire engines attended the site of the boarded up pub which sits opposite the hospital which forms part of the biggest hospital trust in the country.

The public are being kept away from the scene amid fears there may be gas canisters on the site which could lead to secondary explosions.

"The control room confirmed that the gas board has been called. There is a smell of gas," a spokeswoman said.

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Remains of the Florence Nightingale pub

Joe Walsh, 14, who was passing the site with his father when the explosion happened, told the BBC he thought a car had exploded.

He said: "It was really loud and lots of people were screaming.

"I saw nurses from the hospital running out."

Eyewitness Andrew Bannister said debris from the explosion had spread across a large area.

He said: "It is lucky there are not more injuries. It could have been a lot worse.

"We are being kept well away from the scene as I think there are fears of a second explosion."

The ambulance service said a paramedic with specialist training attended the scene with two ambulances.

The explosion has not affected services at St James's Hospital, a spokeswoman said.

Eyewitness reports said a number of walking wounded had made their own way to the hospital across the road from the pub.