The blast shattered the wall of a second-floor unit on Clarence Street around 6:30 am.
NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry said there had been “significant damage”.
“The wall, a double or triple brick wall, has literally blown out of the building off that second level,” Dewberry told Today.
“Furthermore, the explosion generated a substantial pressure wave, impacting nearby properties and buildings with the resulting shockwave.”
Falling rubble destroyed a car parked below.
Firefighters carried one male out of the wreckage, and that person has since been taken to hospital.
“Currently, our priority is to conduct a thorough search to ensure that everyone is accounted for, although we haven’t confirmed that yet, but we’re actively pursuing it,” Dewberry stated.
“But it is still a very precarious and dangerous situation for our firefighters to move in and around.”
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Nearby resident Charlton said he was having “a nice cup of coffee” when the explosion happened.
”And then I heard these two loud bangs, and then I said, ‘my god, it’s like an earthquake going on somewhere’,” he said.
“So I went down and I saw this whole building come down … very scary.”
