Scotland explosion: Three taken to hospital following huge blast in Ayr

Three people have been taken to hospital following an explosion at a house in Ayr which caused severe damage, with reports saying the blast was heard for miles around.

Residents have been evacuated from part of the Kincaidston area following the incident on Monday evening.

Social media users said they heard the explosion from miles away, while pictures shared online showed at least one house badly damaged with debris lying in the street.

It is understood a number of residents are being given shelter at the nearby Queen Margaret Academy.

The Kincaidston Community Centre said it was open for those who needed help.

Euan Bryson, who lives in the adjacent housing estate, tweeted a video showing a fire engine on a smoke-filled street in the aftermath of the explosion.

He said: “Was chaotic. There was personal property and rubble all over the scene.

“The video below doesn’t even do the smoke justice. Could scarcely make out peoples’ faces.”

Alice Shaw, a resident who lives near the site of the blast, told the Daily Record the explosion was “terrifying”.

She said: “It sounded like a bomb went off. Our entire house shook and everything from the television to the pictures came off the wall. The scene is like something from ground zero. It is terrifying.”

An air ambulance was called out as part of the response to the incident.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We received a call at 7.16pm to attend an incident at Gorse Park, Ayr, alongside Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“We dispatched a number of resources to the scene, including three specialist operations vehicles, six ambulances and an air ambulance.

“Three patients were transported by road to Crosshouse hospital.”

A spokesman for gas distribution company SGN said they were helping emergency services.

He said: “At around 8pm tonight we received a request to assist the emergency services following the reports of a serious explosion in Gorse Park, Ayr

“Our engineers are currently assisting the emergency services to ensure the immediate vicinity is made safe in our role as the gas emergency service.”

Images on social media showed debris scattered on the street in the Kincaidston area.

The explosion appears to have destroyed at least one house with rubble scattered over a wide area.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said: “We were alerted at 7.11pm on Monday, October 18 to reports of a dwelling fire in Gorse Park, Ayr.

“Operations control mobilised nine appliances and specialist resources to the scene and firefighters are working to extinguish the fire.

“Crews currently remain in attendance and are assisting emergency service partners.”

The Ayrshire Police Twitter account said: “We are currently in attendance following a report of an explosion at a property on Gorse Park in Ayr shortly after 7.10pm on Monday, 18 October.

“Emergency services are currently at the scene and we would advise people to avoid the area at the present time.”