A man and his elderly mother have been taken to Southampton General Hospital after being seriously injured in a suspected gas explosion at a property in Nelson Avenue, Portsmouth 22 October shortly after 1.40 pm.

Around 20 firefighters from Cosham, Portchester, Southsea, Havant and Emsworth attended the incident after reports came in of an explosion at the property, causing neighbours to flee their homes, a nearby resident said they heard a loud bang followed by the sounds of smashing glass and saw plumes of smoke coming from the front of the property.

They then heard an elderly woman screaming in the street who appeared to have had her hair burnt right down to the skin, a male then came out from the property who also had received burns to the head burning his hair.

Plumes of smoke were seen blowing east across the city with smoke blowing across London Road reducing visibility for motorists, the smoke could be seen for several miles across the city.

South Central Ambulance Service said: We have sent to the scene our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) four ambulance officers, two ambulance crews and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance who have been working in partnership with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Service, Hampshire Police, power companies and local authorities.’

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance landed nearby at  Mountbatten Leisure Centre who administered life-saving treatment to the casualties, they were then transferred to Southampton General Hospital by land ambulance.

A spokesperson from SGN said: ‘At around 2pm today we received a request to assist the emergency services following the reports of an explosion in Nelson Avenue, Portsmouth.

Our engineers are currently assisting the emergency services to ensure the immediate vicinity is made safe in our role as the gas emergency service’

Firefighters continue to dampen down the remains of the property and a full fire investigation is underway.