A seven-year-old boy has died after a house explosion in Newcastle, police have said.
Six people were taken to hospital after the incident on a residential street in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Superintendent Darren Adams of Northumbria Police said the young boy had died at the scene, and six people had been taken to hospital, with a number of others evacuated from their homes.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Superintendent Adams said it had been a “truly devastating outcome”.
He said a number of other people had been evacuated from their homes, and an investigation was now under way into the cause of the explosion.
Superintendent Adams said a cordon was likely to be in place “for some time”.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Lynsey McVay from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said six flats had been “badly affected, two of which suffered the main brunt of the explosion”.
Emergency services were called to Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city, shortly before 1am.
Drone pictures from above the street showed at least one house appeared to have been completely destroyed, with roofs collapsed and firefighters working among the rubble.
A family friend of some of the victims said there had been a “devastating explosion”.
Andy Riches, a safety steward at Newcastle United, has set up an online fundraiser in aid of the occupants of one of the homes affected.
He is friends with the grandfather of a couple with two children who live in one of the flats, and said: “They have lost everything.”
Firefighters continued to work at the scene using a jet to damp down the house, which was still smouldering.
A fire service van marked “search dogs” was parked nearby, as were gas specialist engineers.
Meanwhile, vehicle recovery workers were taking away several damaged cars on low-loaders.
