Street ‘war zone’ after gas blast
A MASSIVE gas blast injured three and left a suburban street looking like a “war zone” yesterday.
Witnesses said it was “a miracle” no one died when an “immense explosion” and “giant fireball” blew out car windows and damaged other homes in the residential street.
Two victims were airlifted to hospital and the third taken by ambulance after neighbours pulled them from rubble.
John Jasper, 80, and his 79-yearold wife Janet were named locally as two of those injured when the explosion destroyed two houses.
A resident who lives opposite the houses in Birstall, Leicester, said: “We ran over with other people to help the old guy. He was covered in rubble under the staircase.
“It’s an absolute bloody miracle he survived. The explosion was immense.”
Sian Timson, 62, who lives several doors away, said: “You could feel the house move. It’s very fortunate no more people were hurt.”
Another neighbour added: “We saw a giant fireball and a huge boom shook the house. Everything went dark. The only thing we could think of was that a plane had come down.
“It looks more like a bombed-out house you would see in a war zone.”
John Ketteringham, 31, who was one of the first on the scene, said: “We found one old chap buried in the rubble. He had bad head lacerations, and was unconscious… but he was still breathing.”
Residents evacuated from their homes were taken to a village hall. Leicestershire police said an investigation was under way.