Two people have died following a “suspicious” explosion at a house in Bristol.

Avon and Somerset police have declared a major incident after the explosion, which happened at about 6.30am on Sunday. The families of those involved had been informed, police said.

Photographs from the scene show a number of emergency service vehicles outside the house, including police cars, ambulances and a bomb disposal van, and neighbours reported seeing armed police officers outside.

The cause was being treated as suspicious, police said, but they have ruled out terror as a motive.

A cordon is in place in the area around the property in Sterncourt Road in the Frenchay area of Bristol and there are local road closures in place. Residents of nearby houses have been evacuated to a temporary rest centre at a nearby Harvester pub.

Police are currently not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Officers were carrying out inquiries at a property in Speedwell linked to the incident.

“A cordon remains in place while emergency services respond to an incident in Bristol,” a spokesperson said. “An explosion was reported at a residential address in Sterncourt Road at about 6.30am today. The cause of the incident is being treated as suspicious, and a major incident has been declared.

“Two adults have died at the address and their families have been updated. Emergency services are following well-rehearsed plans in response to this incident. Our inquiries are at an early stage, but at this point we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.”

The force said the police cordon had been put in place as a precaution “to help keep the public safe”, adding that there was not believed to have been any significant damage to neighbouring properties.

“Given the recent change to the UK threat level, we would like to reassure the public from the outset we are not treating this as a suspected terrorist incident,” a police spokesperson said. “We ask people not to speculate around the circumstances and continue to encourage the public to avoid the area while emergency services respond to this incident.”