*NEW VIDEO*

Three people are in hospital after a house was destroyed in a suspected gas explosion

Emergency services are at the scene of a major incident which left the home a wreck after a blast was reported this morning (Tues).

Videos show smoke and flames pouring from a property in Lancaster Road, Yate, Glos.

Fire services are at the scene and the cause has initially been reported as a gas explosion.

A spokesperson for Avon Fire and Rescue Service said: "We currently have multiple crews on scene at a property on Lancaster Road, Yate to reports of an explosion."

"Crews are currently working at the scene, and we would advise locals to avoid the area. "

"More information to follow."

Avon and Somerset Police say three people have been taken to hospital.

A spokesperson said: ''Officers are supporting Avon Fire and Rescue Service at the scene of a suspected gas explosion in Lancaster Road, in Yate, at 6.50am this morning (Tuesday 29 April).

''Three people have been taken to hospital with injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening or life changing.

''A fourth person has sustained minor injuries and was seen to by the ambulance service.

''A cordon has been put in place and a number of properties have been evacuated. A refuge centre has been set up at a nearby public house.

''Members of the public are being advised to avoid the area and keep the roads clear while emergency services are at the scene.''

Claire Young MP for Thornbury and Yate said on Facebook: "My thoughts are with those who are affected by the suspected gas explosion in Lancaster Road, Yate. "

"Thank you to all the emergency services who have responded so quickly."

A spokesperson for Wales and West Utilities has said the cause of the explosion is currently unknown.

Wales & West Utilities Emergency Service Manager for Bristol, Austen Shopland said: "We were called to reports of an explosion at a property in the Lancaster Road area of Yate in Bristol this morning (29 April) and immediately sent a team of engineers."

"On arrival, we found that there had been severe structural damage to the property and the emergency services were in control of the scene. We are now working with them to make the area safe – as we do on all incidents of this nature."

"We do not yet know the cause of the explosion, and our engineers will continue to support the emergency services as they carry out their work."

Neighbours on Piper Road saw an explosion taking place.

One said: "There was this huge bang and the house shook. You can see out of our top window and we have a viewpoint. "

''We could see the smoke and then the flames coming up and you could see the flames reflected in the windows of the houses across the road.

''We couldn't smell it because I kept the windows shut but there was just this enormous bang."

One of the neighbours sat on the police van and waited for his son to bring his medication.

One woman said her 82-year-old mother had been evacuated but that she was in a stable condition at hospital with relatives.

She added that her dog was still inside the house and firefighters weren't sure if it was safe to be rescued.

Nearby residents were evacuated to the Farmhouse Pub, where they were served coffee, tea and toast.

Some were sitting in the garden, still in their dressing gowns and pyjamas.

One man had just returned home from work when he said "police came knocking". "

He said: "My mum was int he garden and saw it happen. "

''She went round to help them and by the time she got back to our house after helping them out, police were there evacuating

everyone.

"She doesn't know them. She saw water flying into the sky, flames going up, so she ran round the corner just to see what had happened. "

"The door was locked and she tried passing the key through the letterbox so that they could open the door. "

''I think the woman inside was actually scared as you would be and was trying to get the key in the door but was struggling to. I think the explosion happened then the flames came up five minutes after.

"Everyone's okay. They had minor injuries. They say we have to wait for a couple of hours until he gas turned off. I think it must have just been a slow build up or leak of gas over time."

Lorraine Carter, 57, a family and pupil support welfare officer, was also in the pub garden with friends after having been evacuated.

She said: "I was woken by a boom, a very loud noise. My house shook. I live about 100 yards from the house. "

''It was like nothing I have heard before. It woke me up so initially you're not quite sure what it was but I hadn't experienced it before.

"I couldn't see anything initially either side of the house and then the first thing we saw was a thin plume of black smoke. "

''We saw the neighbours running towards it and about 15 or 20 minutes later the fire engines and emergency services arrived.

"I was still in the house. We were evacuated at about 7.10am. "

"I saw the police and I could hear neighbours being evacuated so I opened my window and they said we had to evacuate and come to the local pub. "

"You hear about these things on the news but you don't expect it to happen on your street."

Another neighbour added: "The bang was terrific."

Geoff Shortman, a retired police officer, said: "I was fast asleep and boom. The windows shook, I looked out the window, saw nothing, went downstairs, a cup of coffee, looked out and thought: 'Why are all the neighbours out int he street?' At which point I saw the fire at the address. It had blown the roof off, basically. "

"You could see 20, 40 ft flames coming out of the roof. "

"I know the people affected. There was an initial shock amongst all of them and then they're all saying more or less the same thing: 'What the hell do we do now?' As far as we can ascertain we believe three houses have been damaged, possibly four. "

"We all wandered out into the street and the police were trying to form a cordon with the fire brigade."