Tweet
A man has died in a fire at flats in Cardiff after a report of an explosion, police have confirmed.Fire crews and police are still at the scene at Lydstep Crescent, off Western Avenue in the Gabalfa area of the city.
Emergency services were called at 1242 BST, and about 20 people have been evacuated from the area.
Police said early indications are that the explosion "is not of a suspicious nature". No details of the man who died have been released.
Eyewitness Sharon Broad, 55, said she heard "an almighty bang".
"The windows were blown out and neighbours saw a sofa fly out of the window," she said.
"The noise was so loud and I could see flames coming out of the flat. There are a lot of single old people in the flats.
"That could only be gas to cause an explosion like that.
"It was an almighty bang it sounded dreadful and was horrible to see."
Ch Supt Bob Tooby, the divisional commander for Cardiff said: "This is a serious incident which has required a number of people to be moved from the area."
'Massive destruction'
Police are working closely with the fire service and the local authority to look after those evacuated and to put in place measures to protect the scene in the event of an investigation.
A multi-agency incident room has also been set up. Mick Flanagan, from South Wales Fire and Rescue investigation unit described it as one of the worst house fires he had ever attended.
"There is massive fire destruction inside the building and of course, we have lost a life," he said outside the property.
The fire officer said attempts were now being made to establish the cause of the fire and explosion, and are waiting for a forensic scientist to arrive from London.
Asked if the blast was a result of a gas explosion, he added: "It certainly is a possibility and something we will be exploring, for sure, later this evening."
The fire location is just a short distance from a polling station in Gabalfa, but Ch Supt Tooby said the incident should not pose problems for anyone wanting to vote in the general election.
He added: "It is important that anyone planning to vote at the Gabalfa polling station continues to do so. The polling station and the surrounding area is completely unaffected by the fire."
Anyone concerned about friends or relatives that have been evacuated or with any information about the cause of the fire can call 02920 338460This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.