"""Eight people have been injured, two seriously, after a suspected gas blast partially destroyed a block of flats in Wigan.
Two men were taken to specialist burns units after the property collapsed - a 26-year-old is in a critical condition and a 43-year-old is described as "serious but stable".
Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
Six other people were taken to hospital with minor injuries and the effects of smoke inhalation.
Neighbours reported hearing a "deafening bang" at around 9.20pm on Saturday.
An entire external wall was destroyed in Blake Close, Worsley Mesnes.
I ran towards the flats and in the ground floor flat there was an elderly lady in her bed with the emergency services trying to pull her out.
Neighbour who witnessed the blast
Shaed Akhtar, a local shopkeeper, helped residents before the emergency services arrived at the scene.
He told Sky News: "The first man out was properly burned from top to bottom. He was on the second floor, and by the time we could go around to rescue him, he was already on the floor… he jumped down."
One neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "I ran towards the flats and in the ground floor flat there was an elderly lady in her bed with the emergency services trying to pull her out."
The blast destroyed three flats in the block and it took 70 firefighters three hours to bring the fire under control.
The gas and electricity supplies to the building have been isolated and residents unable to return to their flats have been moved to a nearby hotel.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation and the Police are searching for someone who is known to be working on gas in the county without being CORGI registered."""