In earth-shattering scenes to mark the Weatherfield soap's 50th anniversary, the disaster causes destruction, tragedy and uncertainty as some much-loved characters are killed and others find their lives hanging in the balance.
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Just before the explosion sparks a terrible series of events, Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) is enjoying his stag night at the bar - unaware that owner Nick Tilsley (Ben Price) plans to reveal he's been having an affair with his fiancée Leanne (Jane Danson).
However, before Nick can confess all, the blast rocks the building and both men are buried beneath the rubble. As their lives hang in the balance, will the truth come out?
Meanwhile, Ken Barlow (Bill Roache) and Leanne are on their way to the bar in a bid to stop Nick from exposing the heartbreaking secret - but they're thrown to the ground on the street due to the ferocious explosion.
Devoted aunty Becky McDonald (Katherine Kelly) is also out on the cobbles as the disaster occurs, desperately searching for her nephew Max, who has gone missing from his bedroom. Becky's friends are still unaware of the fact that she bought Max from her half-sister Kylie - could the shocking events result in her guilty secret being revealed?
Elsewhere, Molly Dobbs (Vicky Binns) is in the Corner Shop with her baby son Jack at the time of the explosion - just moments after telling husband Tyrone (Alan Halsall) that he's not the child's father. Will a fateful night for Coronation Street also see Molly destroy the marriage of her ex-lover Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell)?
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Speaking of the 50th anniversary episodes, Coronation Street's producer Phil Collinson commented: "As we celebrate the show reaching such an incredible milestone, it feels fitting that we will be screening a dramatic event of this magnitude which will affect the lives of all the residents of Coronation Street.
"We'll be using all the wonders of modern television production to bring you a disaster that will rock the lives of everyone in Weatherfield. At the heart of the drama, though, will be ordinary people on an ordinary street battling adversity - the template for the programme created by Tony Warren 50 years ago."
Coronation Street's 50th anniversary week begins on Monday, December 6 at 7.30pm.
Click through the gallery below to see the full collection of pictures from the explosion:
