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House in Southampton destroyed by 'gas explosion' | House in Southampton destroyed by 'gas explosion' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A four-year-old girl and her father have been pulled alive from the rubble of a house hit by a suspected gas explosion in the early hours. | |
The blast completely destroyed the end-of-terrace house in the Shirley area of Southampton at about 01:30 GMT. | The blast completely destroyed the end-of-terrace house in the Shirley area of Southampton at about 01:30 GMT. |
Neighbours in Howards Grove rescued the 36-year-old man, named locally as Jay Sabanal, and his daughter. | |
They were taken to Southampton General Hospital but both have since been discharged. | |
Mr Sabanal's wife, Liberty, was at work at the time of the blast. | |
Stephen Kelsey, who was working nearby for BT, pulled Mr Sabanal from the rubble with the help of two colleagues and neighbours. | |
He told BBC Radio Solent: "We ran up around there and you could see the house had pretty much disintegrated and there were a lot of people just stood around. | He told BBC Radio Solent: "We ran up around there and you could see the house had pretty much disintegrated and there were a lot of people just stood around. |
"When we got close to the house, the little girl was sat on the wall out the front. We got closer and [could] see the fella was just stuck underneath a load of rubble. | "When we got close to the house, the little girl was sat on the wall out the front. We got closer and [could] see the fella was just stuck underneath a load of rubble. |
"We were moving the rubble and there were a couple of neighbours as well. He was pinned down by what looked like the kitchen wall so we just had to dig him out and scoop him out." | "We were moving the rubble and there were a couple of neighbours as well. He was pinned down by what looked like the kitchen wall so we just had to dig him out and scoop him out." |
Wesley Flood, a former ambulance technician who lives nearby, also helped rescue the man. | Wesley Flood, a former ambulance technician who lives nearby, also helped rescue the man. |
He said: "There was a little girl sitting on the railings so I picked her up and carried her away. We went back and the father was behind the wall, his knees touching his chin; he was curled up. | He said: "There was a little girl sitting on the railings so I picked her up and carried her away. We went back and the father was behind the wall, his knees touching his chin; he was curled up. |
"I managed to haul him out and we took him where his daughter was and we waited for the ambulance. | "I managed to haul him out and we took him where his daughter was and we waited for the ambulance. |
"The kid was shocked, she was crying on and off from the shock of it all. They were lucky to be alive." | "The kid was shocked, she was crying on and off from the shock of it all. They were lucky to be alive." |
Steve Buchanan-Lee, station manager with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It's quite a scene - the fact that the people who were inside the property had been rescued by local residents prior to our arrival is nothing short of a miracle." | Steve Buchanan-Lee, station manager with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It's quite a scene - the fact that the people who were inside the property had been rescued by local residents prior to our arrival is nothing short of a miracle." |
Four other houses were evacuated and other properties had their windows blown out. | Four other houses were evacuated and other properties had their windows blown out. |
Next-door neighbour Kevin Crook said the blast caused major damage at his own house. | Next-door neighbour Kevin Crook said the blast caused major damage at his own house. |
"I was fast asleep in bed, there was a massive great bang and I couldn't believe what I saw," he told the BBC. | "I was fast asleep in bed, there was a massive great bang and I couldn't believe what I saw," he told the BBC. |
"I saw brick rubble all over the conservatory, the doors were all blown off, the big patio doors all blown off, the TV was over on its face, everything just crashed - it's like the house has had a great big shake. The walls are all done in. | "I saw brick rubble all over the conservatory, the doors were all blown off, the big patio doors all blown off, the TV was over on its face, everything just crashed - it's like the house has had a great big shake. The walls are all done in. |
"As I went to the front door, the toilet's all gone, that's all just rubble. | "As I went to the front door, the toilet's all gone, that's all just rubble. |
"I was concerned for next door but, to be honest, I didn't think they would have made it, but they have. It's unbelievable." | "I was concerned for next door but, to be honest, I didn't think they would have made it, but they have. It's unbelievable." |
Firefighters worked to ensure there was no further collapse of the building. | Firefighters worked to ensure there was no further collapse of the building. |
An exclusion zone is in place while engineers from Southern Gas Networks (SGN) and Southampton City Council investigate the cause of the explosion. | An exclusion zone is in place while engineers from Southern Gas Networks (SGN) and Southampton City Council investigate the cause of the explosion. |
A SGN spokesman said engineers had isolated the gas supply to the property and supplies to other properties were unaffected. | A SGN spokesman said engineers had isolated the gas supply to the property and supplies to other properties were unaffected. |