THIS was the scene today after a suspected gas blast left a man fighting for his life in hospital.

The victim was said to have been blown through a window, such was the force of the blast at the property in Wordsworth Road, Darlington on Monday night.

One resident nearby described how the injured man was blown out of the window into the back garden while still in flames.

And neighbours were said to have run across to put out the flames and try to save the victim, named locally as John Metcalf.

He was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary last night with life-threatening injuries.

One eyewitness said: "Me and a friend up the road rushed to the scene. At that point we realised the lad was in the back garden. He was partially on fire. My friend went over to his aid.

"We went through the front windows to make sure no-one was in."

One neighbour who went to Mr Metcalf's aid was reportedly receiving treatment for burns to his hand on Tuesday.

Others described shouting and screaming from the injured man, while others told of a 'boom' sound.

The property is divided into flats, with the victim living upstairs. Locals said the downstairs flat had been empty for a week or two.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, told The Northern Echo: “I was listening to records last night at a reasonable volume and I heard a bang. I muted the record player and thought, I wonder what that was.

"I didn’t go out immediately because it is like Beirut at times.

“I thought it might have been a fight or a crash or some sort of disturbance and you don’t want to be involved in that so I ignored it for five minutes then someone knocked on the door and told me what had happened.

“Poor old John just took the blast upstairs in his flat. He was blown out through the window.

“He was ablaze and he was blown into the back garden and one of the neighbours went to try to put the flames out.

“I think there has been a gas leak built up downstairs. We speak occasionally but don’t know him well, I’ve just seen him when he gets on his bike.

“I just hope John pulls through.”

Another neighbour said: “He’s in hospital in a bad way and we’re hoping he’ll be ok. I don’t think anyone round here will want to say much more than that.”

Neighbours on each side of the property were evacuated and a police cordon was put in place on the street while gas engineers were on site.

The cordon is still in place this morning.

Several windows were blown out in the blast, and a significant part of the roof has been torn away. There is also a large crack in the front upstairs wall of the property.

The affected property is divided into two flats, upstairs and downstairs and the victim lived upstairs, he said.

A police investigation is under way into the explosion.

Chief Inspector Sue Robinson of Darlington Police, said on Tuesday: “Three fire appliances, police and ambulance all attended the scene.

“Six people were evacuated from nearby houses.

“An investigation is underway and we are working with our colleagues at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service to establish the cause.

“A police cordon is still in place and will remain there for the foreseeable future.

“We would like to thank local residents for their cooperation.”

  • Anyone with any information in relation to the incident is asked to call Durham Police on 101 quoting reference 371 of February 19.