Screams heard as house expodes

Neighbours heard screaming as a central Auckland house was blown apart in an explosion yesterday morning.

Two people were burned in the blast at Mary Dreaver St in the suburb of New Windsor.

Police said a woman was taken to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition, while a man with moderate injuries was taken to Auckland Hospital.

Local resident Hemant Parikh posted on Facebook that it sounded like a bomb had gone off around 6am.

‘‘Woken up by a big bang and hearing people screaming this morning,’’ Parikh said.

Dave Wood, senior station officer from Avondale fire station, said the force of the explosion ‘‘ripped the house apart’’.

‘‘It was quite a powerful explosion, and it blew the walls about 10 metres,’’ he said.

‘‘It blew the roof off the house and just engulfed the house in flames. We’ve got fire investigators coming to establish what might have caused that initial explosion.’’

Four fire engines and 16 firefighters had been at the scene beating back flames and working to protect surrounding properties that were put at risk by the blaze.

Police also attended and set up a cordon around the house.

A handful of homes on Mulgan St, behind the fire, were temporarily evacuated.

Fire Service investigator Jason Goffin confirmed the blaze was not being treated as suspicious. It was a possible gas leak, he said.