AN EXPLOSION ripped through a terrace, forcing residents to flee for their lives.

Amazingly, nobody was hurt in the explosion and fire at Cliffe House, Radnor Cliff, Sandgate, Folkestone, late on Tuesday night, as the flat at the epicentre of the blast was empty at the time.

British Gas had been in the area since 5pm that day after neighbours reported smelling gas.

The blast, which happened at about 11.40pm, blew the front window out of the flat and parts of the wall.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called at 11.42pm, following reports of the explosion, and a small fire broke out and spread to a neighbouring property shortly afterwards.

Control room operators initially sent two appliances, both from Folkestone, to the four-storey building. A further two appliances from Folkestone and Hythe and a height vehicle were then also been sent to the scene.

Neighbour Jane Davies was in bed when it happened and described the scene.

She said: “The room went red and the force of the explosion was much greater than the earthquake. There was someone shouting 'get out of the house, get out of the house’!

“There was glass all outside and there were flames. We jumped in the car and drove away from the scene because we were frightened there would be a further explosion.

“If there had been anyone in that house they would not have survived it.”

Paul Flaherty, community safety manager for Kent fire and Rescue said: “When we arrived we were confronted by one of the windows in a house being blown out and a fire in the building.

“The explosion was confined to the the house it was contained in. In terms of the fire in the flat, it was relatively minimal as those types of explosion tend to be a one-off event.”

The Red Cross were on the scene helping with blankets and the NHS sent a team to the Burstin to help with first aid. Nobody was seriously hurt, although people did suffer glass cuts, bruises and shock.