Three Britons injured in butane gas explosion

BRITISH resident Carlton (Carl) Wall, 49, was flown to the special burns unit at the Vall d'Hebron hospital in Barcelona, after suffering burns to 66 per cent of his body in a butane gas explosion in Alcudia yesterday. Fellow Britons Linda Feldman, 59, and her partner John McGuire, 48, who were blown out of bed in the accident, were under observation at Son Dureta hospital yesterday, although their condition was reported as not serious. They were able to leave the house unaided, but in a state of shock.
Wall, a lodger at the house, was buried under the rubble and had to be dug free by firemen.
He was taken to Barcelona by ambulance plane after receiving treatment at Son Dureta hospital.
The rescue operation was co-ordinated by the 112 emergency service.
The explosion occurred at around 9am yesterday morning at a chalet in Calle Perdiu in the port of Alcudia.
The chalet was practically demolished by the force of the blast.
Sources at the Alcudia town hall said that according to the first impressions of the fire brigade and Local Police the most likely cause of the explosion was a fault in the rubber tube of the butane cooker. It is believed that the tubing, which was out of date, had led to a leak in the gas, and the explosion occurred when Wall lit a cigarette.
However, the Guardia Civil will open an investigation into the exact cause of the accident.
Damage was caused to the adjacent houses in the explosion.