Neighbours say man 'lucky to be alive' after being pulled from exploded flat

A man who was pulled from an exploded flat in Lancashire is 'lucky to be alive', according to neighbours who ran in to save him.

A huge emergency response rushed to the scene of the incident on Tanfields in Skelmersdale at around 6pm last night (Tuesday). Responders found a block of flats completely blown apart.

Pictured showed the wreckage at the back of the flats, with a fridge-freezer hanging from inside along with a two-seater sofa. Five people were injured in the incident and 15 people from the area had to be evacuated.

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An investigation into the cause of the explosion has been launched by Lancashire Fire Service and Lancashire Police. Jake Alan Jones has now told of how he rushed to the aid of a man who was inside in the building.

The 22-year-old handyman from Skelmersdale was in his fiancée's house when he heard a huge explosion from behind him, the Liverpool Echo reports.

He went outside to see what had happened and saw the wreckage of a number of flats, including his friends. He said: "I ran out my fiancée's and into the back garden of the flats to make sure the people were okay.

"I then ran around to the front and into the house and found a man downstairs and he has a cut and blood on his head. I helped him out and then carried on running around to make sure everybody was okay."

A few minutes later the area was swarmed with emergency service vehicles including fire engines from Skelmersdale, Ormskirk and Bamber Bridge. Five people were in the flats when the explosion occurred and three of those were taken to hospital by the North West Ambulance Service.

A spokesperson from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed