NINE children were rescued from a house just moments before an explosion ripped through it.

The youngsters, aged from 18 months to ten, were led to safety on the front street just as a fire in a washroom extension at the house in Charles Street, Nelson, ignited two camping gas cylinders.

The force of the explosion blew out a window and its frame and knocked two internal doors from their hinges, sending one of them 15ft down a hallway.

Householder David Geddes, a taxi operator, said: "My mother Doreen was looking after the children and my ex-wife had just turned up to speak to one of my daughters. She saw smoke coming out from the back of the house and just rushed in screaming for everyone to get out.

"If it hadn't have been for those two someone could have been killed. A neighbour said she felt the explosion shake one of her windows so it shows how powerful it was.

"I was out at work and got a call to say there was a fire. "I just couldn't believe it when I turned up and there was smoke pouring out of the house.

"It was just unbelievable. I didn't think it could cause so much damage."

Sub officer Jon Pinner, of Nelson fire station, said: "It was a very lucky escape for everyone concerned.

"Fortunately, the explosion happened after the children were out of the house and before we arrived so there was no-one inside.

"It must have gone through the house with some force to do that kind of damage and it was good fortune that no-one was in there."

Firefighters were called to the house, which is two semi-detached homes knocked into one, at 5.10pm on Tuesday.

The fire is being investigated but is not being treated as suspicious.

It caused severe damage to two rear rooms and to the internal doors and smoke damage to the first floor.

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