Highgate Explosion Leaves Man In Hospital With Life-Threatening Injuries After Blast In Swain's Lane

A police cordon is in place.

A man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries following an explosion at a building site in London on Thursday.

Emergency services were called to Swain’s Lane in Highgate shortly after 2pm following reports of a blast.

The man was airlifted to hospital and police remain on the scene, which has been cordoned off.

Emergency services were called to the address in Swains Lane shortly after 2pm on Thursday.
Emergency services were called to the address in Swains Lane shortly after 2pm on Thursday.
Kenneth Tharp

Images shared on social media show the air ambulance and emergency services at the scene.

Reported explosion at a construction site on Swain's Lane in Highgate. Emergency services including @LDNairamb on scene pic.twitter.com/2EbxO80JuE

— Jonathan Savage (@JSavageTweets) March 16, 2017

Massive gas explosion at building site in Swains Lane, Highgate around 2pm. Ambulances, Fire Service,Police and Air Ambulance in attendance. pic.twitter.com/cUVmkUb8PD

— Kenneth Tharp OBE (@KennethTharp) March 16, 2017

Neighbours close to the site said they felt their homes shake by the force of the explosion.

Professional pianist Tess Uys, who lives directly opposite the site, told the Camden New Journal: “It made my floorboards completely vibrate. It was terribly loud, a huge, huge explosion.

“All the shop keepers came rushing out to see if they could help and the police and ambulance were here immediately.”

Highgate councillor Sian Berry tweeted she was “hoping for the best” after hearing the news.

Really bad #Highgate news - BBC says someone very badly injured in this incident. Most likely a construction worker. Hoping for the best. https://t.co/N4BHWw73VF

— Sian Berry (@sianberry) March 16, 2017

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We were called by the London Ambulance Service at 2.11pm on Thursday to reports of an explosion at an address in Swain’s Lane.

“The London Air Ambulance attended and took a man to an east London hospital with life-threatening injuries.

“The area is cordoned off and officers remain on scene.”

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