An 84-year-old man passed away in an explosion in Edinburgh, while a father rescued a woman trapped in the debris.

A male in his 80s passed away after a blast occurred at a residence in the Baberton neighborhood of Edinburgh.

At 10:25pm on Friday, there were reports to Police Scotland about an eruption at a location on Baberton Mains Avenue.

A female, aged 43, and a male, aged 54, were transported to the hospital. However, their current state is not disclosed.

Ross Aitchison, who lives in the area, reported that he rescued a woman from the debris caused by the explosion with assistance from a fellow neighbor.

According to Ben, his father contacted him at 10:26pm to inquire if he had heard the loud noise.

According to Mr. Aitchison, his father is located “20-30 seconds” away from the location of the event. As a result, he quickly rushed over to assess the situation.

He stated that when he arrived at the location, the woman had already been rescued from the house with the assistance of another individual. Fortunately, she was still alive.

Images of the incident depict a house completely dismantled, with its structure demolished and scattered across the road.

Residents nearby reported feeling their houses tremble, and one individual shared on Twitter that they heard the explosion while inside a movie theater in the nearby Wester Hailes neighborhood.

According to reports, residents in Gilmerton, a suburb outside of Edinburgh, heard the blast from X (previously known as Twitter) which occurred miles away from the explosion site.

At approximately 10:25pm on Friday, December 1st, 2023, Police Scotland responded to a call regarding an explosion at a residence on Baberton Mains Avenue in Edinburgh.

“Emergency personnel are currently present at the location. It is recommended that individuals avoid the area at this moment.”

As a safety measure, several houses were cleared and the street, Baberton Mains Avenue, remained inaccessible on Saturday morning.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service reported that five fire trucks were dispatched and two individuals were saved from the debris of the house prior to their arrival.

A representative from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service stated that they received a report of a gas explosion at 10:26pm on December 1st on Baberton Mains Avenue in Edinburgh, which affected residential buildings.

“Operations control mobilised five fire appliances and specialist resources to the area where firefighters worked to make the area safe.

“Upon our arrival, two injured individuals had already been saved and the crews are still present at the location.”

A representative from SGN, a gas distributor, stated that they were called in to help emergency services and ensure the surrounding area was secure. They also mentioned that it is too soon to make assumptions about the cause of the explosion.

Last night at approximately 10:45pm, we were asked to help the emergency services after receiving reports of a severe explosion in Baberton, Edinburgh, according to the spokesperson.

As the gas emergency service, we collaborated with the emergency services to secure the nearby area on Baberton Mains Avenue and guarantee its safety.

I offer my sincere condolences to the family of the man who has passed away and to those who have been hurt.

“At this time, it is not appropriate to make assumptions about the situation. We are actively collaborating with the authorities to determine the root cause.”

Scottish Conservative Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Lothian region, Sue Webber, expressed her condolences on social media regarding the recent tragic news within the local community.

“Appreciation to the emergency responders who were present. My heartfelt condolences and well-wishes to those affected by this event.”

Source: independent.co.uk