Skelmanthorpe explosion latest as new housing estate shut down by …

Drama has unfolded at a new housing estate near Huddersfield after a loud explosion brought in specialist teams, armed police and prompted a huge police investigation.

The explosion happened at around 12pm today in Skelmanthorpe, with the bang being heard by residents living nearby. West Yorkshire Police are still on the scene and Cumberworth Road and Ponker Lane remain shut to all traffic almost five hours later. A cordon is also in place on Dene Road.

The focus of the police activity – which includes armed officers, along with the bomb squad and 14 to 16 West Yorkshire Police vehicles – is on the nearby housing estate Weaver’s Place. It is understood this is where the explosion, which completely destroyed a van, happened. The development is being built by Persimmon Homes.

The estate is still under active construction as building sites and scaffolding can still be seen inside. A bombsquad van is at the scene.

Thankfully, no one is believed to have been hurt in the explosion. A woman who lives nearby has also said she heard the loud bang this morning along with her son. She said: “I did hear a bang earlier this morning but I just thought ‘oh, I wonder what that was?’.”

References

1. ^{^} Live as explosion shuts Skelmanthorpe road as specialist investigators rush to scene (www.examinerlive.co.uk)