Southall: People are feared to die after King Street gas explosion

People are feared dead in an alleged gas explosion at a store in west London, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) said.

The explosion occurred at a barber shop and mobile phone shop on King Street, Southall, shortly after 06:30 BST.

Firefighters are known to have rescued four adults and a child. Police said a man was injured.

LFB said it could not confirm if anyone was killed in the blast as it continues the search.

The Metropolitan Police said the explosion was not treated as suspicious and is believed to be a gas explosion.

Station Commander Paul Morgan said: “Our teams continue to search the property using specialized equipment, including the use of urban search and rescue dogs.

“The explosion caused substantial damage to the shop and structural damage everywhere.

“It is a lengthy and laborious incident in which firefighters systematically work to stabilize the building and search for the people involved.”

Jatinder Sing, owner of Dr Phone, said he was in “total shock” when he received a call about the explosion.

The 36-year-old said: “They have closed everything. It looks like a gas cylinder explosion and there is a floor above and my store is below.

“I was surprised because my shop seems totally dead, finished and the same with the hairdresser.

“I can’t see anything from where I’m standing other than the shutter and the front door, which is smashed.

“I’ve lost everything. We were also struggling through the coronavirus period – too many in-store stock and no sales for a long time, so I don’t know how we’ll survive.”

I’ve counted 25 firefighters here going over the debris on King Street with the police this morning.

The blast has also closed several streets, with police on the scene to prevent people from approaching the scene.

It is a clear scene of devastation of various shops and apartments, which the London Fire Brigade has called a “structural collapse”. Sadly, the explosion appears to have claimed some lives.

Another 14 adults and two children evacuated from nearby properties after the blast.

LFB was called at 06:38 and dispatched about 40 firefighters to the scene. He advised people to avoid the King Street area while the search continues.

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said paramedics had treated and released one person.

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