A 63-year old man named locally as Paul Wilmott has died after a house was completely destroyed following a suspected gas explosion, in Haxby, near York.

Emergency services attended the detached building in Haxby, near York, which was reduced to rubble.

Windows in the neighbouring houses in the leafy residential cul-de-sac were blown out and debris has been scattered across the road and gardens.

The Northern Echo:
The house in Haxby has been completely destroyed by the suspected gas explosion. Picture: Rob Horton / @SierraZero7

Police have confirmed that to their knowledge there was only one person in the property at the time of the explosion, who they believe was the householder.

But they say a formal identification process will have to be undertaken to confirm his identity. 

Approximately a dozen properties on the street were damaged in the blast, while residents in neighbouring villages of Strensall and Huntington reported hearing the explosion.

Inspector Steve Breen, Bronze command for the emergency response, said: “Looking down the immediate street, the houses on either side appear to be very, very badly damaged and houses across the road and right along the street have suffered glass damage.”

North Yorkshire Police added: "Emergency services remain at the scene in Springwood, Haxby.

"Gas supplies have been isolated and emergency services are working with Northern Gas Networks to investigate the possible cause of the incident.

"Local people may experience short-term interruptions to power while this work is carried out.

"North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said more than 30 firefighters have been deployed."

This afternoon, a specialist search and rescue service from West Yorkshire and a specialist fire dog from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service were sent to the site to search through the debris pile for any sign of life. The springer spaniel, Spencer, is trained in working in confined spaces and in finding people in collapsed buildings. He helped in recovering the body.

Inspector Breen said safety measures were being put in place to allow residents to return to their homes and for the cordon to be lifted on the Haxby Street, Springwood.

“We can start allowing the street to get back to some kind of normality. We’re going to establish what’s going on and consulting with the Health and Safety Executive and a full report will be released.”

Earlier, firefighters tackled several small blazes and conducted a search of the scene.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust checked over two further people at the scene, although they did not require hospital treatment.

People were urged to stay away from the scene, and remain indoors if they live in the area.

The Northern Echo:
The property, centre, pictured on Google Street View

The explosion sounded like a crash, one local said.

The man, who did not wish to be named, was around 150 yards away at the time and described the loud bang which he said had "flattened" the property and damaged others nearby.

"The house has been completely flattened. It sounded as if a bus or something had crashed into a house, or like an aeroplane crash.

"All the properties adjacent to the one that's blown up have got damaged windows and garages."

One woman, whose windows were blown out by the blast said the noise was a rumbling that was like nothing she had ever heard before.

The Northern Echo:
Firefighters at the scene. Picture: Emily Flanagan

Rob Croft, who lives on nearby Briergate, said: "It was a big explosion but we got more of a shockwave.

"My wife jogged past the house 15 minutes before and smelt gas, but she said it was like the smell of a boiler firing up, so she didn't think anything of it.

"We saw lots of smoke billowing afterwards."

Windows at St Margaret Clitherow Church in Holly Tree Lane and the presbytery are also understood to have been damaged.

The man said other people had told him they did not think anyone was in the property at the time.

He said: "Neighbours didn't think there was anyone there."

The Northern Echo:
Emergency services at the scene in Haxby, North Yorkshire, where a house has been destroyed in an explosion. Picture: John Giles/PA

A tweet from PCSO Shuttleworth said: "A house has been destroyed in what we believe to be a gas explosion. Fire, ambulance & police are all on scene working hard in order to ensure the safety of the public."

Local residents reported their houses were shaken by the blast, which some thought was an earthquake.

Sophie Pea tweeted: "Wtf I swear something just exploded in Haxby. My whole house just shook."

Another, named as Ellie Hig, posted: "Did everyone else in Haxby hear that?????? Ok now I can hear sirens. Praying no one was in that house."

Amy Hewitt wrote: "Woah has there been an explosion in Haxby the house just shook?"

At the scene, the road was cordoned off and four fire engines could be seen outside the destroyed house.

The detached houses either side of the property were badly damaged.

The windows had been blown out of one neighbouring house and the roofs of many houses on the street had been damaged by the explosion.

Neighbours said the blast was heard across the area this morning.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said she felt the explosion from a street away.

She said: "There was a tremendous bang this morning. It shook the bed and the whole house."