A JOINT investigation by the Health and Safety Executive and police in Pendle into the explosion which led to two flats and a house being demolished, in Burns Street, Nelson, is continuing.

It is still not known what caused the blast which is understood to have happened in an upstairs council-owned flat.

A spokesman for the HSE said: "The inquiries are still on-going. It will mean checking the physical scene, interviewing workers on the site, as well as past and current tenants, to put together a picture of why the explosion occured. There is no way of saying how long the investigation could take. How long is a piece of string?"

The explosion reduced the two council-owned flats to rubble, badly damaged the privately-owned house next door and caused damage to the roof of the house opposite, in Scott Street.

Elderly disabled man Thomas Root, who had to be freed from his downstairs flat after becoming trapped in his wheelchair, has been detained at Burnley General Hospital where he is described as comfortable.

Keith Delaney, a single man from the upstairs flat, was treated for burns at Royal Preston Hospital before being released from hospital yesterday.

Elderly couple Joan and Dennis Nancarrow, whose house next-door had to be demolished despite them having no insurance, are currently staying with relatives.

They were due to look at a bungalow today which the council had found for them but Mrs Nancarrow was unsure whether it would be on a temporary basis or permanent and said she was just frustrated with the feeling of being in limbo.

The financial implications to Pendle Council will be the subject of a verbal report to the executive committee on Thursday.

A report to the committee under the item 'matters requiring financial approval' said that the council's insurers Zurich Municipal had appointed loss adjusters who had visited the site.

It stated that the council-owned flats were insured and would receive the market value of the property plus the demolition costs for that property.

The council now has responsibility for the health and safety of the site, which also includes the area which was occupied by Mr and Mrs Nancarrow's house.