'AVOID THE AREA': Explosion reported as blaze guts Blackpool guest house

Residents were warned to avoid Palatine Road in central Blackpool after a major fire broke out there late last night.

By The Newsroom

Published 29th Jun 2016, 04:47 BST

Updated 25th Aug 2016, 17:05 BST

The building has been left a blackened shell

Five fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were called to a three-storey guest house shortly after 11.30pm, as flames and smoke reached into the night sky, a spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said.

Writing on Twitter, Matt Ashby, from Blackpool, said homes on the street were evacuated as crews tackled the inferno.

He wrote: "Big explosion palatine road police currently evacuating all houses @The_Gazette my wife was literally walking past the house as it went up"

And @vickyfylde added: "Crazy fire on Palatine Road, appears to be an empty property. Road is currently closed and engines are in attendance."

Pictures taken at the scene show the fire was under control by 4am, though the white building has been left a blackened shell. The fire service asked people to continue to avoid the area.

It is not yet known whether anybody has been hurt.

More to follow