Hoxton butchers blast: Women stood inches away as glass window blows out

The window was blown out of Murrays Meats yesterday afternoon (Image: Archant)

CCTV footage shows one of the group, who are believed to be staff from a nearby nursery, fall over as the glass smashed behind her.

It is not known what caused the blast inside disused butchers Murrays Meats in Felton Street, but UK Power Networks crews were at the site along with firefighters until the early evening.

The woman can be seen before the explosion (Image: Archant)

Abbas Solak, owner of Bon Bon newsagents next door to the butchers, said he heard a loud bang from his shop.

“It was very loud, like a BOOM,” he said. “I thought it was a terrorist attack!

The women look back to see what happened (Image: Archant)

“I don’t know what happened, the shop has been empty for two or three years but water has been leaking out of it for about a month.

“Three women were outside my shop, right by the window. If they were sat in front of it they would have been hurt badly.”

Abbas and a staff member checked on the shop with the women (Image: Archant)

One woman was treated by ambulance crews and 10 people were evacuated from the parade of shops after the blast at 1pm.

Fire crews had the blaze under control within an hour.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation.