Around 100 homes were evacuated after a fire in a factory complex triggered a gas explosion, officials said.
The blaze broke out at the industrial site in the Radcliffe area of Greater Manchester at around 9.45pm last night.
Around 50 firefighters were called to the scene on Schofield Street as the flames spread across a number of units.
A gas mains pipe in one of the properties then exploded forcing emergency workers to evacuated nearby properties as a precaution, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said.
There are no reports of any injuries and nobody was believed to be inside the building, which is thought to belong to a freight company, when the fire broke out.
National Grid workers are on the scene and helping firefighters with the operation, which is focusing on an area of the industrial site measuring around 80 by 120 metres.
Police and council workers are helping the families evacuated from their homes.
Alex Thorp, 22, who lives behind the warehouse, told the Manchester Evening News: "We heard loud crackling around 10pm and went outside, thinking it was fireworks.
"Then we could see the factory on fire.
"The flats behind it were evacuated and then at about 11pm there was a really big explosion which shook the house."
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said that at the height of the fire, which started at a disused industrial building, 60 officers were on the scene.
A spokesman added that the gas supply to the fractured mains pipe was isolated at around 2.30am.
"Crews are now damping down the scene and allowing residents to return to their homes wherever possible," he added.