A flat explosion that killed one person and injured three others may have been caused by a camping stove.
Police chiefs have warned that more deaths could be reported in the coming days as emergency services continue to search the scene.
Two people were seriously injured while a firefighter suffered smoke inhalation after a gas explosion sparked an “inferno” that engulfed a Redwood Grove property on Monday.
Bedfordshire Police Chief Superintendent John Murphy said: “Sadly we know that at least one person has died in the explosion.
“It is possible that more deaths will be discovered in the coming days as we continue to search the scene and a number of people, as my colleague from the fire service has identified, were also injured today.”
Firefighters at the scene of the fire in Redwood Grove, Bedford
(PA cable)
Chris Bigland, Bedfordshire Police’s deputy chief fire officer, added: “The gas is not connected to the building. There may have been gas cylinders used for heating or cooking.
“It could have been a camping stove with the fuel crisis and all. We can’t rule it out – we just don’t know.”
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service earlier described the blaze as a “major incident”, while a local resident said they saw one person jump from a second-floor window to escape the burning building.
Adam Fisher, a 37-year-old salesman whose office is nearby, said he heard a “huge explosion” before witnessing “hell” at the site and people screaming.
“There was a huge explosion – everyone went to our work car park to see what was going on,” he said.
“Our building is right next to the apartment complex – immediately (we were) seeing an inferno, a huge cloud of smoke, people screaming and people frantically calling for help.”
The nearby Shackleton Primary School was also evacuated as a result of the fire
(REUTERS)
Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he saw a man jump from a second-floor window to escape the burning building.
“I heard the explosion from my house around the corner,” they said. “I was walking to town and I saw the flames and I also witnessed someone jump out of a second floor window while the flames were spewing.”
Emergency services yesterday urged nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.
An EEAS spokesman said: “We were called at 9.33am on Monday to a significant fire at a block of flats in Redwood Grove, Bedford.
There were reports of residents jumping from windows to escape the fire
(PA cable)
“Three ambulances, the Hazardous Area Response Team, a Tactical Commander, three Operations Managers and the Magpas Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.
“One person was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital for treatment of leg injuries, while two people, one of whom was a firefighter, were airlifted to the south wing of Bedford Hospital with smoke inhalation.”
Nearby Shackleton Primary School was evacuated as a result of the fire, with headteacher Andy George saying in a statement: “Following the fire in the Redwood Grove area of Bedford earlier today, pupils at Shackleton Primary were sent home due to the school’s proximity to the incident.
“All the children are safe and the school is working with the emergency services.”
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