A Braintree pensioner escaped from his blazing home after a gas explosion set the house on fire.

The 84-year-old man escaped with minor burns and smoke inhalation.

The incident happened at about 11.30am on New Year's Eve, when the elderly man, who does not want to be named, went home to check his house, after spending Christmas with his daughter.

He said: "I had just come back into the house and was in the back room, when I put the fire on and the bang went off.

''The force of the explosion threw me back, but I had turned the gas off, phoned the fire brigade and was out of the house within 60 seconds."

After the explosion, the pensioner realised his trousers were on fire, but managed to put the flames out himself while waiting for the fire brigade.

The force of the explosion blew part of the roof off the back extension, caused damage to another downstairs room, and left the whole house smoke-logged.

"Obviously I was very shaken, but the fire brigade have told me that it could have been a lot worse. I feel very lucky, but now I am just trying to salvage what I can," he added.

The explosion alerted neighbours who came running to see if they could help.

Liza Franklin, 30, a care assistant, said: "It could have been a lot worse. I ran to get everyone out of my house and my husband went to see if he could put the flames out, but was not able to."

Two fire engines from Braintree were at the scene within minutes and firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to check the rest of the house.

The pensioner was taken to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford where he was treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

He said: "All the neighbours were very good to me. This could have been a lot worse, and although I was very shaken, I am all right now and I feel very lucky I was not more seriously hurt."

Alan Rayner, Group Commander at Braintree Fire Station, confirmed that the explosion had been caused by a leakage of cylinder gas, and agreed that the situation could have been more serious.

"The longer the house had been left, the more gas would have built up in the closed up premises, which would have caused an even bigger bang. The man was very lucky to escape with only superficial burns," he said.

Mr Rayner added: "If anyone does smell gas in their property, we would advise them not to touch anything and call the gas board and the fire brigade."

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