Haxby Gas explosion kills 63-year old and destroys the house

A 63-year old man died in a huge gas explosion, about 07:30 GMT that destroyed a house in  Springwood, Haxby, North Yorkshire, leaving only a pile of smoking rubble where the house once stood, and also damaging several nearby homes.

Inspector Steve Breen of North Yorkshire Police confirmed one fatality, a 63-year-old man found dead in the debris.

Electricity supplies within a 200m radius of the scene of the blast were switched off as a safety measure. Stuart Thompson, from North Yorkshire Fire Service said his officers’ focus was on ensuring the safety of neighbouring properties.