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Video - Leeds pub explosion: Miracle no-one was killed
A fire officer who was first on the scene after a huge Leeds pub explosion said today it was "a miracle" nobody was killed or seriously injured.
The blast, which reduced the Florence Nightingale to rubble, shook three 18-storey tower blocks and resulted in five people needing treatment at nearby St James's Hospital for "superficial injuries".
What caused the explosion? Click here for full story.
Click here for latest story on the Leeds pub explsion casualties.
Fire watch manager Phil Panther, who was first on the scene, today spoke of his horror when he arrived at the devastated site on Beckett Street, directly opposite the busy hospital.
* Click here to watch a slideshow of images from the explosion
"It's a miracle that nobody was more seriously injured. When we got there and saw the devastation of the site we fully expected there to be some major injuries.
"There was debris, roof tiles and bricks and all sorts, scattered all over the car park and the bus stop was covered in rubble. If anybody had been waiting there, they would have been seriously injured.
"It's a very busy area because of visitors to the hospital. So far as I'm aware, all the injured people were walking wounded with superficial injuries.
"When we arrived at the scene minutes later, there was nobody in sight, so we presumed they'd taken themselves into the hospital for treatment.
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Weather for Leeds
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
