
A suspected gas explosion caused a fire that destroyed a residence, leaving a 70-year-old woman critically injured and requiring medical attention. Following the blast within yards of St. Luke’s Church of England Primary School in Fishpool, Bury, the entire school was ordered to evacuate. Neighbors were compelled to escape, seeking refuge with relatives or acquaintances elsewhere.
Redvales Ward Councilor Tamoor Tariq announced the school’s closure on social media, citing the worsening conditions and the fire’s impact on the energy supply to the building as the reasons.
Around six fire engines and three ambulances were on the scene as firefighters battled the blaze. Gigg Lane, Nelson Street, and Devon Street are still blocked. Just six minutes’ walk separates the street where the fire started from St. Luke’s Primary School.
The next-door neighbor, Mushtaq Anwar, and his family said they felt they were going to perish in the fire. At 11:05 a.m., someone heard what sounded like a “loud explosion”; most of the family was upstairs. They attempted to flee through the front door, but bricks blocked their path. A tremor ran across the entire house. He explained that he is a taxi driver and that losing his home and vehicle has affected his ability to make a living.
A witness told the BuryTimes that it was a gas leak. “You can smell it,“
A gas company representative stated it was too early to confirm what caused the explosion.
Customer operations head Phil Hendrick said his teams are responding to the event in Bury and asked the public to heed the instructions given by the authorities. A spokeswoman for the Greater Manchester Police stated that authorities are investigating the explosion in Bury’s Fishpool neighborhood.
Also on X, Cllr. Tariq expressed his sadness about the recent gas explosion that occurred directly across from his house. According to him, the fire has also destroyed properties in the surrounding area.