Shrewsbury gas blast injures nine people

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said that a building had collapsed in Shrewsbury in what was believed to be a gas explosion.

Police, ambulance and fire services all attended the scene, which was cordoned off after the late-morning incident.

The explosion happened at a block of flats on the corner of Bridge Street and Smithfield Road, near Welsh Bridge.

Roads near the scene of the blast were closed and drivers were warned to expect long delays and congestion for the whole day.

Pamela Salter, whose flat overlooks the area, described how her building shook with the force of the explosion.

"I think everyone heard it. It was a huge noise and a huge vibration," she said.

"The building shook. All the window panes shook."

A total of nine people suffered minor injuries.

These casualties were either dealt with by paramedics or at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, a spokesman said.