Investigations continue into cause of Middlesbrough house explosion
A man is still being treated in hospital for severe burns
Last updated 19th Jun 2024
Investigations are continuing into the cause of an explosion at a house in Middlesbrough.
A 57 year old man is being treated for serious burns after the incident yesterday, on Kirkland Walk - which has left the property in ruins.
Police say he remains in a critical condition in hospital.
A roofer who was driving past the burning building ran into the property to save a man who was trapped under the rubble, according to reports.
Kayfee Hameed, 45, told TeessideLive he carried the man on his back before placing him on the grass outside.
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."
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."
A Cleveland Police spokesperson has confirmed residents living in nearby Ettington Avenue and Frampton Green have now been allowed to return to their homes.
But those living in the affected houses remain evacuated and alternative arrangements are in place.
The roads in the area have also reopened, but the area around the site of the explosion remains cordoned off due to the structural danger posed by the damaged building.
Michael Clark, who lives with his wife in Kirkland Walk, said on Tuesday: "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."
An air ambulance took the man to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, after landing on a nearby green.
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said one person had been transported by air to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle with severe burns.
"We sent a duty officer, a clinical team leader, two emergency ambulance crews, a rapid response paramedic, a doctor, four Hazardous Area Response Teams and the air ambulance," they said.
Cleveland Fire Brigade said three fire engines from Grangetown and Middlesbrough were at the scene.
A large cordon was in place at the scene where there were at least three ambulances, four fire trucks and five gas engineers' vans.
Local residents, including children who have finished school for the day, gathered at the cordon to watch the emergency services response.
Steve Pigott, business operations lead for Northern Gas Networks, said they had engineers on site who were helping emergency services with their investigations.
Police said officers would continue to patrol the area overnight and investigations are ongoing.