Blast family ‘on the mend’
Mother, father and sons conscious in hospital ++ Neighbouring houses set to be demolished
‘They all seem to be coming on fine’
A FAMILY of four injured in a huge explosion at their home are said to have regained consciousness and are ‘on the mend’.
Marion and William Ferguson and their two sons were taken to hospital after the blast on Monday evening.
Residents were evacuated from surrounding houses in Gorse Park, Ayr, following the explosion, which was heard several miles away and scattered debris over a wide area.
Neighbouring homes may have to be demolished and more than 30 others remained cordoned off yesterday.
Mrs Ferguson’s mother Janet Linden, 80, who lives nearby, said: ‘I unfortunately don’t know much about the house blowing up, but they all seem to be coming on fine, thankfully.
‘They are all on the mend, I don’t know when they will be out but hope it is soon.
I was actually upstairs when I heard the bang, I couldn’t believe it. Then my daughter woke me up the next morning asking if I heard the bang.
‘I told her I thought it was a gun going off, then she told me it was Marion’s house. The whole thing has worried me a lot. I can’t get out of the house but my carers told me it was like a war zone.’
Mrs Ferguson, 43, is in Glasgow Royal Infirmary along with son Harley, 16. Mr Ferguson, 47, and 11-year-old Hudson are at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in the city.
South Ayrshire Council said four properties within the immediate vicinity are likely to be demolished.
As of yesterday afternoon, 35 homes in the area were out of bounds due to damage caused by the explosion.
To date, 46 properties have been deemed safe enough for residents to return.
Owing to the extent of the blast, properties outside the cordon were also affected, including four which will require extensive repairs before residents can return, the council confirmed.
Other properties have been damaged by debris and some homes are not safe to access because of broken windows and wreckage.
The council said its neighbourhood services groups are on site assisting emergency services in removing the debris from the wider area. The teams are also working to ensure that residents can return to their homes in the town’s Kincaidston area as soon as possible.
South Ayrshire Council leader Peter Henderson said: ‘I know that council teams, the emergency services and partners have been working tirelessly to help as many people as possible to return to their homes.
‘This is no easy task and I am relieved that their painstaking work has allowed some families to get back home today.
‘Of course, it’s still very early days and the devastation caused by this tragic event will take considerable time to rectify. We’re committed to working alongside our communities and partners to support them through the aftermath of this terrible event.’
Emergency services were called to Gorse Park at around 7.10pm on Monday.
Cars in the vicinity had their windows shattered, while front doors were blown off.
Aerial images showed how the blast obliterated the Fergusons’ home and scattered their possessions across the neighbourhood.
Papers, letters and birthday cards could still be seen on streets around the house on Tuesday.