A man who was pulled from the rubble of his house following an explosion remains critically ill in hospital, police have said.
The 57-year-old was rescued by a passing roofer who saw the blast in Kirkland Walk, Middlesbrough, at around 12.40pm on Tuesday.
Cleveland Police said the explosion scene remained cordoned off because of fears about the dangers posed by structural damage to the building.
The force was working with Middlesbrough Council, Cleveland Fire Brigade, Northern Power Grid and others to establish what happened and to make sure residents affected by the incident receive support.
Roofer Kayfee Hameed, 45, told TeessideLive how he carried the man on his back before placing him on the grass outside.
He said: “I ran inside and I said ‘is anybody there?’ The man was laid down there were all rocks on his leg. He was just shocked.”
Michael Clark, who lives with his wife in Kirkland Walk, said on Tuesday: “The man was screaming in the rubble.
“The man looked terrible when they brought him out.
The 69-year-old added: “All his clothes were stuck to him and they looked like rags.
“His hair was all burned, everything, from top to bottom.”
An air ambulance took the man to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, after landing on a nearby green.
