A woman died after an explosion at her home. 

The mother died following a suspected boiler or gas canister blast in a house in Banks Road, Crawley, yesterday at 12.30pm.

Neighbours described “chaotic” scenes as emergency services rushed to the house before pulling the woman out of the building where they tried to save her.

Barbara Allen, who lives in Banks Road, said: “We didn’t hear anything and then all of a |sudden there were lots of fire engines, police and an ambulance.”

Firefighters received a call shortly before 12.30pm.

Emergency services rushed to the house before pulling the woman out of the building where they tried to save her.

A neighbour told The Argus the woman’s son, named locally as Joe, had returned home after staying overnight with his girlfriend to find his mother’s body.

The air ambulance was scrambled and landed in nearby playing fields off Knepp Close.

Paramedics battled to save her but she died at the scene.

A spokeswoman for South East Coast Ambulance Service, said: “The information we received ahead of the crews’ arrival was extremely confused and we were unsure as to what had happened.

“Two ambulance crews, a hazardous area response team and the helicopter attended.

“There was one patient, an adult female, who despite the best efforts of the crew was pronounced as deceased at the scene.”

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said there were no suspicious circumstances.

She said: “It is unclear at this stage what caused the explosion but it is not believed to be suspicious.

“Damage is confined to the interior of the house and no other premises are affected.ó “A woman in her 50s was taken from the house, treated by paramedics but has sadly died at the scene shortly afterwards.

“There is not believed to have been anyone else in the house.”

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she was shocked at the news.

She said: “I used to talk to her when she took her dog out. She was a nice lady, always happy to talk.”

Frances Pullen, from The Pasture, added: “I have never seen such chaos.

“Nobody heard the bang which is very surprising.”