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Washing machine saves woman as suspected gas blast destroys home Washing machine saves woman as suspected gas blast destroys home
(about 3 hours later)
A 76-year-old woman was saved by her washing machine when a suspected gas blast destroyed her home. A woman saved by her washing machine after a suspected gas explosion destroyed her home has thanked rescuers.
The woman was found by rescue workers wedged in a void next to the machine with the weight of the roof and upper floors above her, according to firefighters. Wendy Ayoub, 73, said she was recovering well in hospital after being freed from the rubble of the house on Monday.
Emergency services arrived at a scene of devastation in Penn Road, Wolverhampton, shortly after 8am on Monday. Fire crews and specially trained medics worked by hand for 90 minutes to free the woman. In a statement released through New Cross hospital, where she is being treated, Ayoub said: “I am comfortable and recovering well. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the emergency services and hospital staff who have helped me.”
David Baker, West Midlands fire service incident commander, said: “They were able to locate the elderly lady in the rear ground floor kitchen with the remainder of the roof and first floor on top of her. She was wedged in a void next to the washing machine.” She was found by rescue workers wedged in a void next to her washing machine, with the roof and upper floors above her, according to firefighters.
He added: “Due to the presence of gas – we believe the explosion was as a result of gas – there was still an explosion risk. We couldn’t use any cutting tools, so we had to manually handle all the debris away from her.” Emergency services arrived at the scene in Wolverhampton shortly after 8am on Monday to find the two-storey detached property flattened.
The West Midlands ambulance service said: “The 76-year-old woman was carried down from the wreckage and assessed by the doctor from the air ambulance in the back of an ambulance. Fire crews and specially trained medics worked by hand for 90 minutes to free the woman.
“She has suffered cuts and bruises and a broken ankle, but when you consider the level of damage to the property, she has been extraordinarily lucky not to have been more seriously injured.” David Baker, the incident commander of West Midlands fire service, said: “They were able to locate the elderly lady in the rear ground-floor kitchen with the remainder of the roof and first floor on top of her. She was wedged in a void next to the washing machine.
The woman was taken to hospital. Three other people, including a taxi driver who waspassing the house when it exploded, were treated for shock. “Due to the presence of gas – we believe the explosion was as a result of gas – there was still an explosion risk. We couldn’t use any cutting tools, so we had to manually handle all the debris away from her.”
A West Midlands ambulance service spokesman said: “She has suffered cuts and bruises and a broken ankle, but when you consider the level of damage to the property, she has been extraordinarily lucky not to have been more seriously injured.”
Ayoub was taken to hospital and three others, including a taxi driver who was going past the house when it exploded, were treated for shock.