Three girls injured in gas blast

At least three teenage girls were seriously injured in a suspected gas explosion in a house today.

The house off the Woodstock Road in the east of Belfast collapsed following the blast.

Forty firefighters and a specialist rescue team were sent to the scene to mount a rescue operation.

Alan Fulford of the Fire and Rescue Service said: "I can confirm it was a gas explosion and that the house was demolished.

"At the moment we definitely have three casualties, badly injured, and they are being treated."

Six fire appliances had been sent to the scene along with the special rescue team which has been trained for such incidents, he said.

Police said there were reports of at least another casualty having been taken to hospital by a passing motorist.