Nelson man tells of how he survived fireball explosion

7:50am Friday 25th July 2008

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A MAN has described how he was hit by a fireball after an electrical explosion ripped apart the road near his home.

Aaron Foulds suffered serious burns to his arms and may require plastic surgery after the blast outside his house in Charles Street, Nelson, at 1.30am yesterday.

He had gone to investigate a first explosion, which left a six-foot crater in the road, when he was hit by flames from a second blast.

Nearly 9,000 homes across Pendle were left without power as a result of the incident, which United Utilities are now investigating to discover the cause.

Aaron, 27, said: “Flames shot up and I dived backwards and put my hands in front of my face.”

His partner Samantha Metcalfe, 22, who witnessed the aftermath, said: “He just kept saying ‘I’m alive, I’m alive’.

“You couldn’t see anything for all of the black smoke. We just thought someone had played a trick on us or something.

“Other people had rung the fire service and police, and the ambulance service, and they turned up shortly afterwards.”

Paramedics gave Aaron oxygen while they bandaged his hands and he was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment. He also received burns to his arms and face.

His hair was also singed in the incident and he was later transferred to a specialist unit at the Royal Preston Hospital for further assessment.

Doctors have already discussed whether he will need plastic surgery to his hand, as a result of his injuries, but he will need to return to hospital on Saturday for another check-up.

Aaron had been watching television late at night when he heard a loud bang and his partner Samantha and her friend Sarah, asked him to investigate.

The explosions, which caused a crowd of around 100 to gather from neighbouring streets, caused electricity to be lost to around 8,900 homes, from as far afield as Barrowford and Reedley.

Electricity in half of the properties was restored at 1.36am and the remainder of the supply was back on by around 5.10am, according to United Utilities officials.

Crew manager Matt Armstrong from Nelson fire station, said firefighters cordoned off the area while United Utilities engineers repaired the fault.

Neighbour Karen Stead, 40, of Charles Street, saw Aaron reeling away from the second blast just moments later.

She said: “When we first heard the explosion we thought it was gas not electricity.

“The man’s hands were black and they looked burnt near his thumbs, I tried to give him first aid but the ambulance and the firefighters had arrived at the scene.

““He came running across to me - his face was black too and he was shouting the’road is blowing up’ it was total chaos.

“The flames were higher than my waist and the house shook. I was really scared but I called for the ambulance, fire brigade and the police as soon as I heard the explosion.”

Saima Kauser, 24, also of Charles Street, added: “I looked through the window when I heard this loud bang. Then I heard some screaming.

“The bang sounded like a building being demolished behind our street. There was another explosion and I got really scared, I could see all this smoke coming coming out.”

Another neighbour, Keiron Rayson, 37, said: “I saw an explosion, it shot out of the ground. People were panicking.”

Crew manager Matt Armstrong, said: “It is very rare that this would happen but an explosion like this has the potential to cause serious injuries.

“The man in this incident received flash burns. If there is ever an electricity explosion members of the public should not approach the area as there is a potential that it could reignite and then cause serious injuries.”

Mr Foulds has been advised to rest as the result of his ordeal.

“I am just glad that it didn’t happen in the middle of the afternoon when all of the kids would have been playing in the street,” he added.