Manchester Gas Explosion: Homes Evacuated

Around 100 homes have been evacuated after a fire in a factory complex triggered a gas explosion.

The blaze broke out at the industrial site in the Radcliffe area of Greater Manchester at around 9.45pm on Thursday.

Around 50 firefighters were called to the scene on Schofield Street as the flames spread across a number of units.

A gas mains pipe in one of the properties then exploded forcing emergency workers to evacuate nearby properties as a precaution, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said.

There are no reports of any injuries and nobody was believed to be inside the building, which is thought to belong to a freight company, when the fire broke out.

National Grid workers have been on the scene and helping firefighters with the operation, which focused on an area of the industrial site measuring around 80m by 120m.

Police and council workers helped the families evacuate from their homes.

Alex Thorp, 22, who lives behind the warehouse, told the Manchester Evening News: "We heard loud crackling around 10pm and went outside, thinking it was fireworks.

"Then we could see the factory on fire. The flats behind it were evacuated and then at about 11pm there was a really big explosion which shook the house."