Three people have been rescued after a house collapsed amid a fire and explosion in Croydon.
Firefighters were called to the scene in Galpin’s Road in Thornton Heath shortly after 7am on Monday.
Residents told the PA news agency that three children had been evacuated, and they fear a fourth was still trapped inside.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the cause of the fire and explosion is not known.
Dozens of worried neighbours gathered near a police cordon shortly after the explosion.
Several people, who had been evacuated in their pyjamas, told the PA news agency their windows were shattered early on Monday morning by the force of the explosion.
Two neighbours, Kutoya Kukanda, 50, and Delroy Simms, 62, said they helped rescue three children from the rubble at around 7am, but they feared a girl aged around four or five was still trapped inside.
They added they believed the children’s mother had been evacuated, and that the house next door had also been badly affected by the blast.
Many said they had reported a strong gas smell two weeks ago, and others said they had been feeling dizzy and sick over the last two days.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said four people have been treated following the explosion in Croydon, with three patients being taken to hospital.
“We have treated four patients at an incident in Galpin’s Road, Thornton Heath,” they said.
“One was discharged on scene and three others were taken to hospital.
“We remain on scene with our emergency service colleagues.”
Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters were sent to the scene where the terraced house collapsed.
LFB said it had taken 14 calls to the incident since 7.08am.
Fire crews from Norbury, Mitcham, West Norwood, Woodside and surrounding fire stations were sent to the scene.
A statement from the brigade said: “A terraced house has collapsed following an explosion and neighbouring properties have also been damaged. Three people have been rescued.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers are also at the scene.
A statement on Twitter said: “Officers are at the scene in Galpin’s Road as part of the emergency services response to this incident. Please follow @LondonFire for updates.”
The London Ambulance Service has asked that people only call 999 for "genuine" medical emergencies as there are a number of its resources on the scene.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 7:07am today (8 August) to reports of an incident at Galpins Road, Thornton Heath.
“We have sent a number of resources to the scene including four ambulance crews and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team.
"We have also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance by car.
“The incident is ongoing and we are working with our emergency service colleagues.”
A London Air Ambulance spokesperson said: "Our advanced trauma team was dispatched via car by London Ambulance Service at 0715 this morning to reports of an explosion in the Thornton Heath area.
"After treatment on scene multiple patients have been transferred by road to a major trauma hospital accompanied by London’s Air Ambulance."
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