Suspected gas explosion in Handsworth, Birmingham

Holyhead Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, UK

At 2.36pm on Thursday 16 June we responded to a suspected gas explosion in a shop building on Holyhead Road, Handsworth in Birmingham.

Three fire crews responded, from Handsworth and Smethwick fire stations and our Technical Rescue Unit.

Exactly how the explosion occurred has yet to be established, but it blew out the front window of a shop, caused a rear wall to collapse and left one man with burns. He was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Three people were led to safety by firefighters from a first-floor flat.

A structural engineer was requested to assess the safety of the building, together with utility companies to isolate power supplies.

West Midlands Police assisted with traffic management.