The centre of Shrewsbury ten minutes after the explosion. Picture by Vickie Warren
Eyewitnesses have described the explosion that rocked the centre of Shrewsbury this morning.
Robert Joys, of Coton Hill, has served as a soldier in Belfast but said the explosion was the biggest he had ever experienced.
He said: “I was actually on the other side of the Welsh Bridge. I thought the tyres had burst on my van but it was the shockwaves from the blast.
- Were you there? Tell us your stories in the comment box below, ring our newsdesk on 01952 241425 or 01952 241421 and send your pictures or mobile phone videos to us here.
- Pictures – click here
- Tomorrow’s Shropshire Star will have full coverage of today’s explosion and will be ON SALE AT 6am
“The glass completely blew out at the auctioneers; they had blown out across the road. Everybody on the bridge had to turn around, there were about 10 cars on the bridge at the time. Two young girls were in the firing line and they came running across the bridge in tears. They were telling everybody to get away.
“I saw a cloud of smoke, at first I thought it was dust, loads of birds were flying up into the air, then I would say about 30 seconds later the police were there.
“I have served in the army in Belfast and been close to car bombs going off and they were nothing like what I experienced at the other side of that bridge.”
Richard Kennedy, manager of Top Cats bar in Mardol, was opening to clean up when the blast happened.
He said: “Next thing I knew I was on the floor. It just threw me forward. I looked up and the window had shattered. I thought I’d been shot.
“I heard screaming and shouting and ran to the corner. I made sure the emergency services had been called, but a lot of people had already done that.”
See Also:
3 Comments
Myself, my husband Simon and daughter Melissa had just returned to our car parked next to Lloyds with our shopping, when there was a huge bang and the car started to shake and vibrate, debris started to hit the car, we ran out of the car to see parts of a building shooting out all over the road and car park, many cars were being hit by roof tiles and bricks, we went to see if the cars waiting at the traffic lights were ok and some had considerable damage to them. My daughter rang the emergency services who advised they were on their way.
The air was full of brick dust. Lots of car alarms were going off. The road was completed blocked with rubble etc. There were flames and smoke coming from the demolished building.
I have never experienced anything like it, it was really scarey and upsetting.
Report abuse
Personal Account of Shrewsbury ‘Gas’ Explosion from within the Shrewsbury Hotel. 3rd January 2010
I was at the scene of the gas explosion today in Shrewsbury right as it was unfolding. I was parking up with my girlfriend Helen Palin, approximately 10 minutes before the explosion happened.
We had just sat down and ordered our breakfast when all of a sudden we heard this really loud rumbling sound, which seemed to ripple through the building, my initial thoughts was that it was an earthquake of some sort, but the rumbling seemed to carry on and on, it seemed like minutes but in reality probably only seconds had passed. Everyone immediately shot up from there seats, people were shouting ‘what was that?’ we were sat in the booth area quite near to the bar with a good front view of the outside to the welsh bridge area and theatre.
All of a sudden there was a tremendous smashing sound, everyone screamed out and there were shouts from the remaining customers thinking could it be a bomb? We didn’t know if the building was going to collapse onto us, or if we should stay or exit the building, it was sheer immediate panic, my fight or flight system was in full flow, adrenalin pumping through my veins. I noticed one of the front windows was completely smashed, I heard one of the bar staff say ‘call an ambulance’, and someone shouted out, my heart immediately sank, I rushed forward to see if I could see anyone who needed assistance, but the bar staff ushered us all back towards the fire exit and out of the building.
I tried to remain calm, and we exited the Shrewsbury hotel into the back alley, there was glass and debris everywhere, I was aware my legs were trembling. As we approached the bottom of Mardol, there was a large group of people all looking in shock and disbelief, a woman was on the top floor of a Mardol shop crying, behind a completely smashed pain of glass. I walked around to the front of the Shrewsbury hotel for a better look, 2 policemen were rushing into a collapsed building with smoke billowing out of it, and all of a sudden a huge flame ball billowed out of the building, with intense fierceness. I suddenly focused in on what was happening on the ground, some young people were walking towards me with debris in their hair, and blood dripping from their faces, in total shock. The loud wail of sirens and car alarms was now apparent providing an eerie soundtrack to what was unfolding. I glanced towards where I had parked my car just moments ago, there was an older man being attended to by the paramedics he was covered in small amount of rubble. It felt like a surreal action movie was unfolding right before my eyes. Some of the younger people with debris in their hair were being attended to by the paramedics; some were shouting for their friends to call their friends and relatives on their mobile phones, some were crying, all were in total shock. As I glanced back towards the car park it was clear all the cars including my own had all their windows blown out, and the chairs outside the hotel and umbrella were completely destroyed due to the damage from the flying debris. I remember the loud sirens wailing, and the crying of the walking wounded. As I looked around Mardol again I couldn’t believe the amount of other damage to windows and shop fronts, people were still wondering what had happened. My heart goes out to the trauma of the victims of this blast, but also am thankful that I had not been in my vehicle just moments later.
Report abuse
The blast was terrible. I saw the building go up in flame, and smoke was billowing out. I heard a few people screaming, but saw nothing of the people, the smoke being too thick. We left immediately after that.
Report abuse