Neighbour ‘terrified’ after gas blast destroys house in east London

LONDON: A neighbour has said she was left “terrified” after a gas explosion destroyed a home on a street in east London.

The blast on Ley Street, Ilford, sent debris flying into the road and sparked a huge blaze in the mid-terraced property on Tuesday evening.

Isobel Rowland, 73, who lives opposite the building which had been converted into flats, said: “I heard a bang and I thought there was a crash but then I looked out my window and I didn’t know what to do.

“The flames were so high, I was terrified, I was shaking, I was absolutely shaking.” Mrs Rowland said “quite a few” people lived inside the building, including a mother and son.

Two people were rescued through the first-floor window by firefighters and remain in hospital in a non-life-threatening condition. A third person was treated for injuries, including trouble breathing.

Station Commander Darren McTernan, from the London Fire Brigade, said: “Firefighters worked hard to bring this fire under control. “We will continue to support local residents who have been displaced.” Around 60 firefighters tackled the blaze after emergency services were called at around 4pm. The roof of the building was destroyed after the explosion and the rest of the building, which included the ground floor, first floor and a loft conversion, were destroyed by the fire. Two neighbouring properties were also damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation.