At least one person was killed in an explosion in an apartment in Bedford, England, on Monday morning.
Three others, including one firefighter, were taken to the hospital.
By Tuesday morning, there were many unexplained inhabitants.
“Unfortunately, more deaths could be found as more detailed investigations continue,” said John Murphy, an assistant commissioner who leads the Bedfordshire police response.
Investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing, but it is expected to take some time.
A resident brother-in-law told PA news agency that “the block had no gas” and “it was completely electric.”
According to Bedfordshire police, the explosion occurred in a three-story building around 9:10 am on Monday morning.
According to police, the building was “severely damaged by the subsequent fire and most of the roof collapsed.”
After the explosion, paramedics were called in. Six fire trucks, two aerial platforms, an incident command support unit, operational support, and a drone were deployed.
It was confirmed that one person was killed in the fire.
One who suffered a “serious leg injury” was airlifted to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Two others, including a firefighter, inhaled smoke and were taken to Bedford South Wing Hospital, where police and eastern England paramedics confirmed.
Residents evacuated to the nearby John Bunyan Sports and Fitness Center, where the Emergency Assistance Center was set up.
Police said those who couldn’t arrange their own accommodation would get help from the Bedford Borough Council.
Adrian Mazurkievich, 27, told PA news agency that he had just sat in front of his computer to start work on Monday when there was a “huge and huge explosion.”
“After hearing the explosion, I saw debris falling from the sky through the kitchen window,” he said.
Mazurkiewicz shouted to his partner, “Get out of the flat as soon as possible,” and said he hit the door on his way down.
He and his partner were just the clothes they wore on Monday night and stayed at the hotel, but he said they were in “lucky things.”
“Seeing the horror of this event, seeing people coming out of the building, jumping out of the windows, seeing people bleeding on the floor, just lying on the ground really struggled. I see myself as one of the lucky ones, “he said.
Foster and her two daughters were all out at the time, but “lost everything,” said Daniel Freeman, brother-in-law of Emily Foster, a resident of the building.
Bedfordshire police said the detective had begun an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion, but added that given the complexity of the scene, it would take some time.
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Lily Zhou is a freelance writer who mainly covers the British news of The Epoch Times.