Two adults and two children have been taken to hospital on Monday evening following an explosion from a house in Scotland.
Police said four houses were affected by the explosion on Gorse Park in the Scottish town of Ayr, and adjacent houses were evacuated.
A local councillor said the “harrowing” explosion was caused by gas.
Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), and Scottish Ambulance Service were called to the scene shortly after 7 p.m. on Monday. Gas distribution company SGN was also helping emergency services.
Scottish Ambulance Service said it sent “a number of resources to the scene, including three specialist operations vehicles, six ambulances, and an air ambulance.”
SFRS said nine fire engines, as well as specialist appliances, were sent to the scene with two remaining on-site at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday.
According to Police Scotland, “a number of premises” had been evacuated and two local rest centres had been set up to assist.
Local roads were also closed after the incident.
“It has been a gas explosion, the exact details of how that happened aren’t released yet,” Councillor Chris Cullen told the BBC’s “Good Morning Scotland” programme on Tuesday.
Social media users said they heard the explosion from miles away, while pictures shared online showed at least one house badly damaged with debris lying in the street.
Cullen said “a row of houses” has now been replaced by “a hole.”
“Two-and-a-half houses are missing. It is quite shocking how far the debris has fallen and the damage it has caused,” he said.
Ian McMeekin, SFRS’s area commander, said, “Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this incident.”
McMeekin said the incident, which “significantly damaged multiple properties” and caused the evacuation of nearby homes was “extremely complex and challenging.”
