A massive explosion has destroyed a building in Sydney’s western suburbs, and firefighters are searching for people who may have been trapped inside.
The incident happened at around 1 pm on Saturday at the Waikanda Cres in the Whalan area.
A spokesperson for NSW Fire and Rescue said that rescuers were still looking for people who may have been under the rubble.
They had earlier rescued two elderly women from the building.
Two other individuals were taken to Mt Druitt hospital with unknown injuries.
Two more people were reportedly taken to a western Sydney hospital.
The NSW Police Force said that they were assisting at the scene, and an investigation had already started regarding the incident.
Due to the incident, traffic was being diverted around the area.
The FRNSW earlier reported that the blast had caused extensive damage to the buildings in the complex.
It also noted that the gas company was trying to isolate the mains to prevent further damage.
Despite the lack of a fire, the scene is unstable and volatile. People were asked to stay away from the area due to the ongoing emergency operations.
Several FRNSW appliances, including ladder units and hazmat teams, were still at the scene.
Remote controlled drones were also sent to the scene to carry out aerial assessments of the blast zone.
According to local residents, they heard a loud bang and felt the explosion from their homes. Others said they felt it as far away as St Clair and Emerton.