Riddle as massive blast rocks homes

Neal Keeling

October 13, 2004

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A MYSTERY explosion rocked Greater Manchester today.

Police and the fire service received dozens of calls from the public about the blast which happened at 7.30am.

But despite efforts by both services to locate the source nothing was found.

Fire service spokesman Ian Bailey said: "We had people calling from a wide area - Chorlton, Flixton, Farnworth, and Walkden - saying they had heard a huge explosion.

"But we have not responded to any incident which would explain the blast. Some of the control room officers at our headquarters in Pendlebury also heard it."

A police spokesman said: "We have not been able to find any explanation and there is no rubble or bricks anywhere."

Measurements

The British Geological Society is investigating.Though none of their earthquake signals were triggered, it said that it may have been too shallow to register on their measurements.

Another possibility is that the blast could have comefrom old mine workings. There are disused shafts in the Walkden area and at Agecroft where a pit closed at the beginning of the 1990s.

Lynn Hall, of Sherwood Drive, Pendlebury, said: "At 7.25am this morning I was locking the door of our house and my husband Carl was waiting for me to come out. He said to me `Did you hear that loud bang?' He kept mentioning it because it was so loud."

One caller to a radio station has claimed that she saw something falling from the sky. But fire brigade spokesman Paul Duggan said: "If it had been a meteorite we could have expected to have found a crater - which we haven't, unless it is the middle of a golf course or a field."

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Caroline, Swinton (13/10/2004 at 11:22)

I heard it in Swinton, thought it was fireworks or something.... very strange!

Kevin, Worsley, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 11:31)

I saw a large saucer shaped object, moving rapidly just below the clouds before it sped away releasing this almighty bang noise.

L Curran, Salford (13/10/2004 at 11:49)

3 members of my family and myself also heard blast. we live in three different areas of Salford.

Kevin, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 12:09)

One of my colleagues said he saw 2 balls of fire in the sky at approx. 7.15am this morning over Stockport. Hes not sure what it was but said it looked like engines on jets when they take off?! Very odd!!

Karen, Little Hulton, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 12:09)

I heard the explosion too, at first i thought a bomb may have gone off in the city as my whole house shook. I ran outside as did other residents but found nothing. We put it down to one of those things and thought nothing more of it until i started hearing these news reports!

Jon, Worsley (13/10/2004 at 12:40)

Oh my god..they've landed!! I thought I was dreaming.. I was woken up at 07:25 this morning by what I thought was a gas explosion or a car hitting my building... it was proper loud and it set a number of car alarms off... weird or what!!

Kevin Parkes, Worsley (13/10/2004 at 12:40)

I was sat eating my breckfast when there was a big bang, the ceiling and window shook. I thought one of the kids had jumped off the bed, but when I got upstairs they were both sleeping, so I looked out of the windows expecting to see a car on fire or something. It really was a big bang.
Later I rang my parents and they had heard it in Little Hulton.

BRADLEY, WORSLEY (13/10/2004 at 12:52)

Not sure if previous message
went.
At 7.25 / 30 AM we heard what sounded like a bomb blast, I do remember an earthquake in Manchester a few years ago and this was different. The house shuddered and the noise vibrated for a few seconds it set off house and car alarms and our outside security lights.

Gemma, Clifton (13/10/2004 at 13:02)

we heard the explosion at 7.30am waiting at the busstop I didn't honestly think it was too important, i imagined it was a firework in wheelie bin. Obvioudly it was something a bit more than that. I think someone should come forward because someone knows what the bang was.

Shane, Walkden (13/10/2004 at 13:15)

I was lay in bed this morning listening to the radio which had been on since 7:00am.

I was still half asleep but then I think it was about 7:19am I heard a huge bang.

It woke me instantly and it felt different to any other type of bangs you hear, which might be nearer, Like it was really big but far away

Many years ago I watched two water towers destroyed and it instantly reminded me of that

I instantly thought there must have been an explosion maybe in the centre of Manchester

I thought maybe it was a terrorist attack or even a plane crash

So I rushed down stairs to put on the news and waited for news but nothing happened

I then looked out of my window facing east towards the sunrise on my way back upstairs and also saw 2 white "things" in the sky

They looked like bright white clouds reflecting the sun but with direction, shaped a bit like a meteorite with a trail.

They caught my attention because they didnt look normal

Dont think its aliens though!

Marjorie, Barton Bridge (13/10/2004 at 13:16)

They came from millions of miles away in peace, only to crash over barton bridge. The future is bleak

Dave, Worsley (13/10/2004 at 13:21)

Whats all the fuss about !!!! I didn't hear a thing

Sam Walker, Walkden (13/10/2004 at 13:30)

At around 7:30 this morning I heard a huge bang like an explosion and the whole house shook.

Anthony, Boothstown (13/10/2004 at 13:38)

Heard the bang.
Gave me the willies.

Lee Horan, Walkden, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 13:48)

I too heard this loud bang this morning. I'd say it happened approximately just before 7.20 as my alarm clock was set for 7.25 and this bang woke me from a very deep sleep.

It was very loud, I thought that we had someone breaking in as the bang was like that of someone kicking a door or using a large hammer like a lumphammer to hit the door.

It is rather bizarre how a wide area of Manchester actually heard the noise and yet there is no real explanation as to why and what it was.

Tricky D Doyle, Walkden (13/10/2004 at 13:57)

After hearing the bang I looked out of the window to see a red caped crusader fighting back what looked like a large under cooked meat ball soem 50 miles up in the sky. Then I woke up and went to work.

Kev, Worsley, Salford (13/10/2004 at 14:05)

I saw some Green Men on the way to work. They too could have caused this blast.

Mel, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 14:05)

Any further news?

K, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 14:09)

I too saw some green men on my way to work, they were collecting newspapers for the council. Didn't hear any bang though, had my earphones in.

Henry Pinkerton, urmston, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 14:12)

How awful for those living in Walkden. Such comments as " someone kicking in the door" leaves little to the imagination. Is this common place, if so may I suggest moving to a nicer area.

Henry Pinkerton, urmston, Manchester (13/10/2004 at 14:15)

Are all Kevs and Kevin's so gullible ? Or do they all live in their own little world. Lets just hope its a nicer world than ours, hooray for Prozac

Lynne, Kearsley (13/10/2004 at 14:21)

I walked into the bathroom feeling half asleep when this huge bang and shudder quickly got the adrenalin pumping. I thought it was a bomb exploding. I can't believe no one has found an explanation.

Dave, Roe Green (13/10/2004 at 14:21)

yes, i was woken up early by this 'explosion' and am not very impressed. This 'noise' made me early for work which im sure i deserve compensation for.

The Vogons, Space (13/10/2004 at 14:23)

Don't forget Earth you are scheduled fof demolition to make way for the new space highway in 6 months time. So you'd better get a move on.

The noise you heard today was that of our engineers testing earth moving equipment.

Kaine Bennett, Chorley (13/10/2004 at 14:34)

Seems funny that two and a half hours befor the band in manchester i heard the same noise that all my work mates from manchester say they heard

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