Shocking pictures show aftermath of Edinburgh house explosion as pensioner dies

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Shocking pictures show the aftermath of a horror Edinburgh house explosion that tragically killed a pensioner last night.Emergency services raced to Baberton Mains Avenue at around 10.25pm on Friday, December 1 after multiple reports of an eruption at a property.A 43-year-old woman and 54-year-old man were taken to hospital for treatment after being rescued from the rubble.

Police have now confirmed an 84-year-old tragically died.Pictures taken this morning show the house having been completely ripped apart by the blast.

Rubble is strewn across the residential street after the walls and roof were blown off. Debris can be seen on top of cars and the contents from inside the property now visible from the outside.

Several properties were evacuated as a precaution and the road remains closed. Emergency services are working to clear the area.Locals reported hearing the explosion as far away as Gilmerton, a suburb on the fringe of Edinburgh and miles from the blast site.A spokeswoman for gas distributor SGN said the body was brought in to assist emergency services and “ensure the immediate vicinity” was “made safe”, adding it was “too early to speculate” on the cause of the explosion.“At around 10.45pm last night, we received a request to assist the emergency services following reports of a serious explosion in Baberton, Edinburgh,” the spokeswoman said.“Our engineers worked with the emergency services to ensure the immediate vicinity in Baberton Mains Avenue was made safe in our role as the gas emergency service.“Our deepest sympathies are with the family of the man who has tragically died as well as those who have been injured.“While it is too early to speculate as to what has happened, we are working closely with the