A terrifying house collapse on Langford Road, Copnor, Portsmouth, forced a mass evacuation on the morning of Wednesday 7th December 2022. Firefighters were called to the scene at around 8.30am after parts of the terraced home’s roof caved in, sending a large cloud of dust over nearby vehicles.
Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. The homeowner managed to escape just as the property collapsed after she inserted her key into the front door. Two casualties were treated at the scene by South Central Ambulance Service and were subsequently taken to hospital.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue deployed several crews to the incident, including specialist Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams. Search operations and structural safety checks were carried out on neighbouring properties to ensure their safety.
Firefighters worked alongside South Gas Networks and UK Power to isolate the gas and electricity supplies to prevent any further damage. Langford Road was closed in both directions, with cordons established to protect the public.
Officials confirmed that the collapse followed reports of an explosion. Hampshire Police and Portsmouth City Council engineers have taken over the investigation into the cause of the incident. Fire crews stood down just before midday after securing the scene.
“Firefighters were called to Langford Road after a terraced house collapsed. Several houses were evacuated, and emergency services worked hard to secure the area,” said a Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service statement.
Residents remain shaken as authorities continue to investigate the cause of the dramatic collapse.
Originally published by UKNIP.
