MIRACULOUS
By Lesley Walsh
A NEWTOWNARDS woman and her disabled daughter are recovering in hospital following a ‘miraculous’ escape when an explosion ripped through their West Winds’ home on Tuesday.
The woman, understood to be in her 30s and her daughter in her teens, were in the house at Dakota Avenue at around 3pm when ‘an almighty bang’ went off in the house, terrifying the small community of six bungalows at Dakota Avenue.
The exact cause of the explosion has been described as ‘accidental’ by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) but they have ruled out mains gas supply and oxygen equipment understood to be used by the teenager.
Neighbours said the residents were ‘lucky to be alive’ after the incident and praised the quick thinking of a brave young carer who was among those who came to the aid of the pair, ignoring warnings that gas was the cause of the explosion.
Most of the windows of the three bedroom property remain boarded up, with large chunks of roof tiles broken or missing, showing signs of the strength of the blast and leaving the house open to the elements.
Neighbours who described the terrifying aftermath of the occupants’ ordeal said yesterday morning they were still in shock.
They praised the young female carer who got the woman and her daughter out of the property, and escorted them safely to a large square of grass in front of the bungalows before emergency services arrived.
“I was in the kitchen cooking when I heard it – I didn’t know it was an explosion,” said one local resident.
“I came out and saw my neighbour’s windows in the front garden before being told to stay back because it was gas.”
Neighbours defied the warning however, when they could hear the woman and her daughter still inside the property.
“Everyone came out to help, I kept shouting through the window, ‘Is everyone OK in there’?” one recounted.
“They came out covered in blood and the carer carried the girl out and set her over on the grass where it was safe and tried to calm her down because she was terrified.
“That wee carer stayed to the bitter end, she was the last one out – she went above and beyond,” said the neighbour.
“It was very scary and they are lucky to be alive. It’s a miracle.”
Neighbours said yesterday the pair remained in hospital but their conditions are not known.
Police joined firefighters from Bangor, Newtownards and Whitla Fire Stations at the scene, where paramedics and the Air Ambulance gave aid to the two casualties.
One was transferred to hospital by ambulance as firefighters used gas monitors and thermal imaging cameras to inspect and make the property safe.
“All adjacent properties were also checked by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS),” said a NIFRS spokesman.
“The incident was dealt with by 5.13pm. The cause of the explosion was determined as accidental and the scene was left with NI Housing Executive,” he added.
A spokesman for BOC, which supplies oxygen tanks to people in their homes, said they were relieved to learn that the traumatic incident had not been caused by one of its tanks.
“One of our officers was there this morning (Wednesday) along with a member of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and they confirmed that it had nothing to do with the oxygen equipment,” he said.
