THERE has been an explosion in a flat in Hatfield.

The blast happened in the ground-floor flat in Roe Green Lane, on the junction of Days Mead, at around 10.30am this morning (Thursday).

Three fire crews, police and the ambulance service are on the scene.

Surrounding roads have been closed and residents are being evacuated.

A 43-year-old man was assessed by paramedics, but was miraculously uninjured.

Ambulance service spokesman Gary Sanderson told the Welwyn Hatfield Times he was in his living room at the time of the explosion.

Our reporter at the scene said: “All the windows have been blown out of the flat, including the patio doors.

“There’s a lot of damage.”

Hatfield firefighter Mark Mozley said: “It was lucky that nobody was walking past. They would have been showered with glass.”

Crew commander Mark Pidduck said when they arrived there was a man sat on his sofa with his dog, visibly shaken, and he had to be forced by firefighters to leave his flat.

“There was no fire situation so we checked the stability of the building and evacuated everybody from their flats.”

Six flats have been evacuated. However, fire chiefs have said the building is stable.

It is thought the explosion has been caused by gas, although investigations continue.