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Emergency services are at the scene of what witnesses have described as a bomb like explosion at a property in Springwood, Haxby near York which has been reduced to smouldering rubble.
There was a large loud blast with extensive damage effectively demolishing one house and a number of others in the area are also damaged with windows blown out and roofs ripped apart. The cause is thought at this early stage to be due to a gas explosion.
Local residents have been evacuated and a rest centre has been set up.
The explosion was reported to North Yorkshire Police at 7.30am today (Friday 19 February 2016) with at least one reported casualty, a 63 year old man killed.