Witnesses have described the moment an explosion in Oldham levelled three terraced houses, leaving a child dead and a man with severe burns.

Georgian Ulla, who lives on Buckley Street, said: "All the lights shook - I thought someone was breaking in to begin with.

"First thing that I saw was all the toys on the floor. Apparently there are kids that live in the house."

oldham explosion

Carnage: The blast reduced terraced houses to rubble

Alex Perkins, who lives on Buckley Street, told the BBC: "It's like a war zone - tiles that have blown off literally across the streets, there's just debris everywhere. It's mad.

"It's just empty, there's nothing there, just bricks on the floor, just rubble."

Shaw ward councillor Mark Alcock, who lives a quarter of a mile away, said: "An end-terrace house has been completely flattened and properties up to 800 metres away have had their windows blown in.

"It's a real mess."

According to locals, the man seriously injured is named Anthony Williamson and lives at one of the rented properties with his partner, mother-of-six Tanya Williamson.

Mr Williamson's landlord, Iltaf Hussain, is a well-known local businessman.

Another son, Waqar Hussain, said the couple and their six children moved into the house only around six weeks ago.

Waqar Hussain, 23, lives just around the corner and was working a 6am to 2pm shift as a manager at a local warehouse.

oldham explosion

The blast left locals and emergency service personnel in a state of shock

He had nipped home on his 11am break, walking past just moments before the explosion.

Mr Hussain said: "I just got home and at first I just thought it was my ceiling because it collapsed in, I covered my face.
"I went out and saw everybody's windows smashed and cars in the street wrecked.

"People were shouting and screaming. I went back in my house to make sure my family was OK and went back outside to the houses.

"Just two minutes before I had walked past, I could have been done in as well.

"There were tiles, slates, bricks, all over the street."

Adam Pollard, 21, got the keys to a property around the corner last night and was due to move in today.

He was gathering belongings at his mother's house just 500 yards away and was about to go to his new flat when he heard the explosion.

"It was the biggest bang I have ever heard, all the windows shook," he said.

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"I could see the smoke and came running up towards my flat.

"I got to the street and the three houses that had been there were just rubble, basically.

"I was worried if someone was trapped. I went running on to the rubble, shouting to see if anyone was injured. I couldn't see anyone and there was no fire, just smoke in the air. There was a weird smell, not of gas, like a burning smell."

Mr Pollard added: "There was a guy standing there, just staring at the rubble.

"I shouted, 'come and help me!'

"People were shouting, 'I can smell gas!'

"I came back off the rubble and the fire brigade came pretty quickly.

"I can't believe somebody has even been found alive in there.

"The house must have been completely filled with gas."

Oldham Council said in a statement that it was continuing to assist emergency services at the scene.

Councillor Jean Stretton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Devolved Services, said: "This is absolutely tragic news that has shocked the whole community.

"Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. You don't have to have known any of the people involved to feel stunned and saddened by today's events and they are all in our thoughts.

"Oldham Council is continuing to work alongside the emergency services to contribute in whatever way that we can.

"Our priority is to ensure a safe environment and assist those affected in whatever way we possibly can.

"A rest centre has been set up nearby at Crompton House school and we are working with partners to keep residents informed of developments.

"We will commit whatever resources are needed in order to assist the emergency services in their ongoing work and the clean-up operation when it begins.

"Obviously there will be people who have been affected by this and will not be able to go home tonight. We are advising them to consider staying with friends or family in the first instance, but if they need further assistance then they should call Oldham Council's Contact Centre on 0161 770 7770."

A person previously unaccounted for has now been found, while an individual trapped in the rubble was released by rescue workers.

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  • Oldham explosion

    A police officer places flowers inside a cordon close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

  • Emergency services personnel gather in the Shaw area of Oldham, in north-west England, on June 26, 2012, following a large explosion. There is currently no confirmation on the number of casualties or homes damaged. (Photo credit: AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLISPAUL ELLIS/AFP/GettyImages)

  • Emergency services personnel gather in the Shaw area of Oldham, in north-west England, on June 26, 2012, following a large explosion. There is currently no confirmation on the number of casualties or homes damaged. (Photo credit: AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLISPAUL ELLIS/AFP/GettyImages)

  • Search and rescue teams work at the scene of an explosion in Oldham, Greater Manchester on June 26, 2012 in Shaw, England. A child has died, one person is un-accounted for and one man has suffered eighty percent burns in the explosion which has destroyed two terraced houses. According to reports there was a 'gas escape' at 10:40. (Photo credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

  • A broken window in a house in the Shaw area of Oldham after a suspected gas explosion. (Photo credit: PA)

  • Fireman at the scene of a suspected gas explosion in the Shaw area of Oldham. (Photo credit: PA

  • (Photo courtesy of @amberrlaurenx/Twitter)

  • (Photo courtesy of Stuart Littleford, Saddleworth News.)

  • In this photograph taken by local resident Adam Pollard, rubble is strewn at the scene of an explosion in Oldham on June 26, 2012 in Shaw, England. A child has died, one person is un-accounted for and one man has suffered eighty percent burns in the explosion which has destroyed two terraced houses. According to reports there was a 'gas escape' at 10:40. (Photo by Adam Pollard/Getty Images)

  • Broken tiles and debris rest on roofs at the site of an explosion in Oldham, Greater Manchester on June 26, 2012 in Shaw, England. A child has died, one person is un-accounted for and one man has suffered eighty percent burns in the explosion which has destroyed two terraced houses. According to reports there was a 'gas escape' at 10:40. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped.Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Oldham explosion

    A forensic officer (left) arrives close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

  • Oldham explosion

    A damaged car sits amongst debris on Oak Street close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

  • Oldham explosion

    Fireman at the scene of a suspected gas explosion in the Shaw area of Oldham.

  • Oldham explosion

    Flowers inside a cordon close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.