Engineers to visit house explosion site

Engineers are expected to visit the site of a suspected gas explosion to determine the extent of damage.

Two men and a woman were seriously injured in the blast which gutted a property in Hugh Street, in Whitehaven, Cumbria, on Tuesday.

The area remains cordoned off, with families evacuated from nearby homes still unable to return.

Cumberland Council is later due to begin structural assessments to determine the extent of damage and the state of nearby properties.

These will determine which are safe and which need work done before residents can return.

Over the weekend, a number of vehicles were removed from the street and the process of cleaning up the debris and damage began.

There was also a visit to the site by council officials, including Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer, and ward councillor Joseph Ghayouba.

Ghayouba wrote on social media: "There has been a lot of speculation online but to be absolutely clear we don't know anything until the engineers have had a look.

"So please bear that in mind especially with regards to how this speculation impacts on the residents affected by this tragic incident."

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