UPDATE: Husband and wife found dead after house explosion

Fire crews at the house in Riddings, near Alfreton where two people died in a fierce house fire after a suspected gas blast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday September 20, 2015. See PA story FIRE Blast. Photo: Matthew Cooper/PA Wire

The deaths of two people in a fierce house fire after a suspected gas blast are not being treated as suspicious.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to an address in Valley View Road, Riddings, near Alfreton, at about 7.30am this morning (Sunday).

Emergency crews could not initially get inside the building, despite reports of people being trapped, because the house was so unsafe.

Derbyshire Constabulary said the bodies of both victims were found in an upstairs bedroom at the property in Riddings, near Alfreton.

Speaking near the scene of the blaze, Chief Inspector Steve Pont said the bodies had yet to be formally identified but were believed to be those of a couple who lived at the address.

As fire crews used an aerial platform to examine the severely damaged roof of the house, Mr Pont told reporters: “There was a fire reported at this address at Valley View Road at 7.30am.

“The fire service attended and found the house ablaze. They extinguished the flames and then found that the house was not safe enough to enter.

“We’ve been able to make the house safe and search the property and I can confirm that unfortunately there are two bodies.”

The officer added: “We do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances, however we are in the very early stages of our investigation.

“We have got a difficult job ahead of us now. While we are doing that we are all thinking about the families.”

Asked to comment on the possible cause of the fire, Mr Pont said: “There were initial reports of an explosion.

“There is substantial damage to the house. We can’t say at the moment whether that’s due to an explosion or the fire.”