One critical, one stable after Barnstaple explosion

ONE man is listed as critical and another stable following the explosion that destroyed their Barnstaple hiome.

The two were airlifted to the specialist burns unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea after a suspected gas explosion blew apart their home in Trinity Street at around 4.20am on Monday.

One is critical while the other is in a stable condition with non life threatening injuries. It is understood they underwent surgery on Monday, although the extent of their injuries has not been released.

The roof and most of the second floor of the house, which was divided into two flats, is gone and debris, masonry and timber rained down on neighbouring properties - some even landed on the Square 300 metres away.

The emergency services were quickly on scene and as fire fighters from Barnstaple and Braunton tackled the raging inferno, police cordoned off the area and evacuated around 30 residents from their homes.

All roads bar Trinity Street have been reopened and all residents allowed returning to their homes and are beginning taking stock of the damage.

Investigations into the cause of the explosion continue, although it is still thought to have been linked to the gas cylinders found at the scene.