Woman flown to hospital after explosion in Staffordshire holiday cabin

Staffordshire Fire Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service were called to the scene, which is three miles from Alton Towers.

A Staffordshire Fire Service spokesman said: "We have extinguished a fire at a holiday cottage in Alton this afternoon (29 December) following reports of a gas explosion.

"Crews from Longton and Hanley were sent to an address on Bradley Lane, Threapwood, shortly after 12.40pm. Our colleagues from Staffordshire Police and West Midlands Ambulance Service also went to the scene.

"Firefighters used hose reel jets to extinguish the fire, which was put out around 1.30pm. Emergency services carried out a search in the area to make sure everyone was accounted for in the neighbouring properties."

The spokesman added: "A woman, in her 50s, suffered serious burns at the scene. She was taken to hospital by air ambulance.

"As a result of the explosion, the building was destroyed. Gas engineers came out to make sure the area was left safe. An investigation into what caused the explosion is ongoing and emergency services will remain at the scene."

West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed the woman was flown from the scene to Birmingham in the Midlands Air Ambulance.

A spokesman said: "We were called to reports of an explosion at a log cabin in Bradley in the Moors near Alton in Staffordshire at 12.40pm today. An ambulance, tow paramedic officers, The Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford and a Midlands Air Ambulance Critical Care car were sent to the scene. On arrival, crews found three properties, one of which had been completely destroyed by the explosion.

"A middle aged woman was assessed and treated at the scene by ambulance staff and the doctor and critical care paramedics from the air ambulance. After being treated at the scene, she was airlifted to the major trauma centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for further treatment.

"The woman was the only casualty."