Sunderland explosion: No deaths in huge blast that destroyed house

Police rushed to the scene of an explosion at a house in Sunderland on Friday morning 11 August after reports of what sounded like a bomb going off. The explosion reportedly occurred at a private address on Rosslyn Avenue, a street in a residential area of Sunderland.

Emergency services said there were no fatalities in the explosion but confirmed that one woman, who lives at the house, was rescued from the rubble and treated for burns at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. The victim is said to be in a "serious but stable condition".

Northumbria police had urged people to stay away from the area after the blast: "For your safety, we ask that people do not attend the scene."

Police said there is "nothing to indicate that this is linked to terrorism". The Sunderland Echo reported that it was a gas explosion.

An man who lives two minutes away from the address said he felt his house shake.

"It was unlike anything I've ever experienced," he said. "It's a semi-detached house and one half of it is just gone, entirely destroyed."

A shopkeeper told Chronicle Live that the explosion was "the loudest bang I have ever heard in my life".

A woman using the name Lauren x on Twitter said it sounded "like a bomb has exploded in Ryhope; house literally shook."

Another woman wrote on Facebook that she knew the house where the explosion went off: "It's across the road from old bingo hall. Rosslyn avenue. House totally collapsed."

Around 15 emergency vehicles were at the scene, a local shopkeeper told reporters. The North East Ambulance Service and air ambulance also attended the incident. Tyne and Wear firefighters said they sent five fire engines to the address.