Gas bottle explosion

A leaking gas bottle took light in the front room of an Upper Hutt home on Thursday evening.

Two adults were in the room when the explosion, at about 8pm, blew out several windows on both sides of the house.

There were no injuries to the five people who were inside the home situated in the Timberlea suburb of the Hutt Valley.

A neighbour, who heard the bang, said it sounded like it lifted the roof off.

‘‘One of them lit a smoke in the kitchen and went bang,’’ said the neighbour. ’’Thankfully the windows allowed the fire to escape and no one was hurt.’’

Senior Station Officer Logan Akers said the bottle was new and had been used the day before.

‘‘It had been disconnected but left inside the house,’’ he said. ‘‘The bottle has been quarantined and will be collected by the hazardous substance inspectors for investigation.’’

Akers said it was a reminder for people to be vigilant about gas safety.

‘‘Because they’re unflued, portable gas heaters and cookers need to be treated with special care.’’