Blast escape

MAJOR incident . . . firefighters deal with the aftermath.

SIX casualties were taken to hospital after a major explosion ripped through a house in Ashton this morning.

One person is described as having serious injuries, after the blast at the terrace property in Curzon Road. Firefighters were alerted to reports of a bedroom on fire just after 5am. The cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed. Station manager Alan Ashworth, incident commander at the scene, said: "When crews arrived there were a number of people injured on the floor and it was obvious there had been an explosion in the house.

"We haven't been able to go inside the house as both the front back walls have collapsed."

Crews from Ashton, Hollinwood and Oldham were still at the scene at 8am.

Police cordoned off Curzon Road, Whiteacre Road and Clinton Street.

The house was ripped apart by the explosion with debris scattered across the road. The explosion had damaged the building next door and the roof still burned as firefighters and police tried to secure the area.

Sarah Pearce was staying with her mother nearby when the explosion happened.

She said: "I heard the bang and I jumped up and I came round the house to the outside and saw that the house was on fire.

"Then they jumped out of the window but the daughter was still in the loft.

"She managed to get out but she was that badly burnt that her skin was dripping off her fingers."

Neighbour Sarah Denton said: "I heard the bang which shook the whole street and then I heard the sirens.

"It was such a huge bang. I was in bed and the bedroom just shook."