Two people are found dead after 'gas explosion' ripped through Ealing phone shop as neighbours tell how 6am blast 'shook' their homes

Two people have been found dead after a suspected gas explosion ripped through a shop in west London this morning.

Firefighters confirmed two people were killed when the blast destroyed the phone store and barber's studio in Ealing at 6.30am, but gave no further details about the victims. 

Shocked neighbours described being woken by a 'huge bang' as the terrifying blast shook their homes.

Jatinder Singh, 36, whose shop Dr Phone was 'totally destroyed' in a gas explosion on Wednesday morning, said he was 'in shock' because he had 'lost everything'.

The blast happened before Mr Singh had left his home for the day. He was given the devastating news by a neighbour, before rushing to the scene.

Mr Singh, said: 'I don't know what happened. I was told I couldn't go to the shop, but you can see from the pictures it's totally destroyed.

'I don't know how to explain how I'm feeling. I have lost everything.

'I don't know what to say - I'm in shock. I'm really scared that now I don't know how to survive.'

 Scroll down for video.  

Two people have been found dead after a suspected gas explosion ripped through a shop in west London this morning 

Around 40 firefighters drafted from five nearby stations scrambled to the street and evacuated 14 adults and two children from surrounding properties.

Specialist search and rescue teams using sniffer dogs painstakingly sifted through rubble this afternoon after the explosion collapsed parts of the building.

Station Commander Paul Morgan said: 'Our crews have search the property using specialist equipment including the use of a USAR dogs. We can confirm that sadly two people have died at the scene. 

'It has been a painstaking and protracted incident with firefighters working systematically to stabilise the building and search for people involved. Operations have been concluded for the evening and will restart in the morning.

'The explosion caused substantial damage to the shop and structural damage throughout.

'In the initial stages firefighters rescued four adults and one child were rescued at the rear of the property using a ladder. 

'A further fourteen adults and two children self evacuated from surrounding properties.'

Locals told MailOnline that the two floors above the hair salon had roughly 21 people, in up eight rooms.

Emergency services at the scene of a suspected gas explosion on King Street in Ealing, west London. Rescuers are involved in a 'complex' search for anyone who may still be inside the collapsed building

Resident Nurmila Hamid, 38, said she felt the blast as she was getting her children ready for school.

She said: 'The house shook, and I turned to my husband and said "what is that?"

'And he said "it's a blast" and he went to look after taking the children to school - he said it was at a phone shop.'  

Mohammad Rafiq, 78, said he and his 76-year-old wife felt 'shocked' and 'scared' when the noise from the King Street blast woke them at their home.

'I heard it in the morning - it woke me up, it was scary,' Mr Rafiq said, who lives two streets away.

'It sounded like a very dangerous blast so I was scared. We didn't sleep after that.'

Police have cordoned off either end of King Street as emergency teams work to recover anybody else who might be in the shop and surrounding buildings. 

Ealing Council confirmed the cordon will remain in place overnight and resident will have to be escorted to their properties.  

Initially there were reports of a man left injured and a child rescued following the suspected gas explosion.

Earlier a child and four adults were rescued from the back of the shop using a ladder while more than a dozen people were evacuated from neighbouring buildings

The explosion happened at a barbers and phone shop on King Street in Ealing around 6.20am this morning

Fire crew members are continuing to search the property using specialist equipment including the use of dogs

Video footage of the blast was posted on social media showing firefighters climbing inside the building to evacuate a person trapped inside a flat on the top floor.  

Emergency workers were involved in a 'complex' and 'painstaking' operation as they continued to search for anyone who may still be inside after the incident on Wednesday.  

Mr Singh told the Standard: 'I'm not sure what happened, I'm in shock. My landlord is in there now looking he is in shock too. I don't know if anyone was hurt or who was living upstairs. There is too much I have lost in there.'

The owner of the mobile phone shop Jatinder Singh, 36, was given the devastating news by a neighbour before heading to the scene

In the initial stages firefighters rescued four adults and one child from the rear of the property using a ladder

Firefighters are working systematically to stabilise the building from further collapse as well as search for people involved

He added: 'I locked up my shop as usual last night and didn't think anything was wrong. Then I got a phone call from a neighbour to get down here that my shop was totally destroyed.

'I'm ok, I'm not hurt. The police have a special dog team and are keeping everyone away.'

Fire investigation officers have cordoned off the King Street area as they start to piece together what happened.   

A local business owner said: 'There was a huge bang like an explosion. My shop shook. We hear there are injuries... it's a shock to us all.'

Another said: 'We have been told a gas canister exploded. There are police and firefighters everywhere. We are hoping everyone we know there is ok. It's a very close knit community.'  

As they carried out their investigation, the London Fire Brigade explained there has been a structural collapse of the building which involved a shop with flats above.

The painstaking task of finding fatalities is ongoing following the suspected gas explosion in Ealing this morning

Station Commander Alan Brand, who is at the scene said: 'Four adults and one child were rescued at the rear of the property by firefighters using a ladder. 

'A further fourteen adults and two children self evacuated from surrounding properties. Specialist crews are searching the building for anyone else that may be involved.

'This is an on going operation and I would ask that people avoid the area if possible.'

Around 40 firefighters from Southall, Hayes, Heston, Ealing and Feltham fire stations are at the scene.

Earlier a Metropolitan Police spokesman said they were not treating the explosion as suspicious.

He added: 'A large explosion was found to have taken place inside a shop. One man was found injured. Road closures have been put in place and nearby residents have been evacuated.'

'At this early stage, it is believed to be a gas explosion and is not being treated as suspicious.'

A spokesman said the windows of the shop were 'completely blown out' in the incident.