Man found dead after explosion on Clifton Mount, Rotherham
A man was found dead after an explosion on a Rotherham street on Tuesday 29 September. Police and the fire service are working to confirm the cause, and police say there is no risk to the wider community.
Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Daily Express, Hot Air.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2A man was found dead after an explosion on Clifton Mount in Rotherham on Tuesday 29 September. Daily MirrorL “Officers were dispatched to Clifton Mount in Rotherham on Tuesday afternoon” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ MetroLC “The victim was found dead at 1.18pm on Tuesday following reports of an explosion on Clifton Mount in Rotherham.” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said crews were called at 1.18pm and three fire engines from Rotherham and Tankersley attended. Locals reported a "massive bang". Daily MailR “Three fire engines from Rotherham and Tankersley fire stations attended and made the scene safe alongside partner agencies.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily MirrorL “people reported hearing a "massive bang" from miles away” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Left · 1South Yorkshire Police said a man was "sadly found deceased" and that, with the fire service, it is working to confirm the cause of the explosion. MetroLC “In collaboration with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Services, enquiries are ongoing to confirm the cause of the explosion.” Read at Metro ↗
Mixed · 2Police said initial enquiries indicate no risk to the wider community. Clifton Mount was closed and has since reopened. MetroLC “Clifton Mount was closed but has since been reopened.” Read at Metro ↗ Daily MailR “Initial enquiries indicate that there is no risk to the wider community.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Cadent Gas said its engineers were supporting the emergency services. The Mirror, Mail and Express also quote it as saying the incident was "not an issue related to our gas network". Daily MirrorL “Cadent Gas saying it was "not an issue related to our gas network"” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Daily MailR “Cadent's role on site has been to support the emergency services as best we possibly can” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2Resident Craig Cockram, who lives in a nearby block of flats, told the BBC he heard a bang "as if there was a shooting" and was evacuated. He said he was "shocked, bemused". Daily ExpressR “told the BBC he was "shocked" and "bemused" about the incident” Read at Daily Express ↗ Daily MirrorL “they were evacuating occupants from the three-storey building” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Right · 2The Mail and Express add that a Tactical Support Group van and eight police vehicles were seen at the scene. Daily MailR “A Tactical Support Group van was seen at the scene alongside eight police cars this afternoon” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Daily ExpressR “There was a strong police presence with eight vehicles and a Tactical Support Group van spotted near the site.” Read at Daily Express ↗ Left · 1The dead man has not been named in the coverage, and the cause of the explosion is unconfirmed. Daily MirrorL “The cause of the blast remains under investigation” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Short, factual reports built around the police, fire service and Cadent statements and one resident's account.
- Emphasis
- Official statements, the resident's evacuation, and the 'massive bang' heard from miles away.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Do not mention the Tactical Support Group van, eight police vehicles or the crews' departure time reported by the right-leaning outlets.
- Charged language
- “huge explosion”“quiet Rotherham street”
- For example
-
“The body of a man has been discovered after an explosion on a row of terraced homes.” — Metro
“Clifton Mount was cordoned off to enable emergency services to carry out their work.” — Daily Mirror
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right3 outlets
- Framing
- Scene-setting reports with a dramatic tone, leading on locals hearing the blast and the police presence.
- Emphasis
- Bystander reactions (Clifton Park, McDonald's), police vehicles and the Tactical Support Group van.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The Express omits the fire service's timings and gives the wrong day; the Mail hedges with 'reported explosion' and 'reportedly'.
- Charged language
- “Absolutely horrifying”“terrified locals”“sounded like a bomb had gone off”
- For example
-
“One local said 'I was walking through Clifton Park, sounded like a bomb had gone off'” — Daily Mail
“Man killed in explosion as terrified locals hear 'massive bang'” — Daily Express
What every side reports
- A man was found dead after an explosion on Clifton Mount, Rotherham, on 29 September.
- Police say initial enquiries indicate no risk to the wider community and the road has reopened.
- The cause is under investigation.
- Cadent Gas expressed condolences and said it was supporting the emergency services.
Where accounts differ
-
Day of the incident
- Left
- Metro and the Mirror say Tuesday.
- Right
- The Mail says Tuesday (29 September); the Express says Monday and at 1.20pm, and at one point refers to the cause of 'the fire'.
-
A man was found dead after an explosion on Clifton Mount, Rotherham, on Tuesday afternoon.
Reported- Reports 4
- Daily Mirror, Metro, Daily Express, Daily Mail
-
The cause of the explosion on Clifton Mount, Rotherham is under investigation.
Reported- Reports 4
- Daily Mirror, Metro, Daily Express, Daily Mail
-
The incident on Clifton Mount was not related to Cadent Gas's gas network.
Reported- Reports 4
- Daily Mirror, Metro, Daily Express, Daily Mail
South Yorkshire Police organisation
Says a man was found dead, that it is working with the fire service to confirm the cause, and that there is no risk to the wider community.
“Initial enquiries indicate that there is no risk to the wider community.” — Metro
Cadent Gas organisation
Offers condolences, says its role is supporting the emergency services and, per the Mirror, that the incident is not related to its network.
“Cadent's role on site has been to support the emergency services as best we possibly can” — Daily Mirror
Left2 articles
-
MetroLC ·
Man killed in huge explosion on quiet Rotherham street
Neutral Breaking-news report relying on official statements and a resident quoted from the BBC.
-
Man found dead after explosion in Rotherham as people hear 'massive bang' from miles away
Neutral Fuller account with fire service details, Cadent's denial of a network link and the resident's evacuation.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right3 articles
-
One dead after 'explosion' on residential Rotherham street: Police launch probe
Mixed Detailed report adding bystander quotes and police vehicles, with hedged wording on the explosion.
-
Man killed in explosion as terrified locals hear 'massive bang'
Alarmist Emotive lead and 'terrified locals' framing, with a wrong day and a reference to a fire.
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- 29 Sep 18:17 First MetroLC Man killed in huge explosion on quiet Rotherham street
- 29 Sep 21:00 +2h 43m Daily MirrorL Man found dead after explosion in Rotherham as people hear 'massive bang' from miles away
- 30 Sep 02:08 +7h 51m Daily MailR One dead after 'explosion' on residential Rotherham street: Police launch probe
- 30 Sep 08:06 +13h 48m Daily ExpressR Man killed in explosion as terrified locals hear 'massive bang'
- 2 Oct 16:20 +70h 2m Hot AirR No Worries: Rotherham Man Explodes on Street, Determined to Be a 'Household Accident'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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