Safety fears and anger from community forced out after fatal Bedford explosion
Rosie Dowsing reports on people's concerns from the Cleat Hill area of Bedford after a house was wrecked in an explosion.
A shocked and frightened community is demanding answers from a council after a suspected gas explosion which killed a man and has forced them out of their homes for a fourth day.
The large detached property on Cleat Hill, Bedford, was wrecked after the blast on Saturday at around 7.30am.
A man who was killed in the explosion has been named locally as 84-year-old Paul Swales. A woman, also injured in the explosion, is in a critical condition.
Angry residents told ITV News Anglia that they expected more support from Bedford Borough Council, with one resident accusing the authority of doing "absolutely nothing".
The council was not available for interview but said in a statement it had put measures in place including a support centre and it was working with its partners to help.
Bedfordshire Police has said that gas was still being detected in the area, which a spokesman explained was "thought to be naturally occurring gasses from an underground source and not coming from the gas pipe network in the area".
People living in the area say they are waiting for answers about the safety of the area.
Cheryl Green, who lives in the area said: "I’ve spoken to some of these people and it’s heartbreaking. It could have been any one of us there.
"And what I can’t get over [is] I saw the mayor in passing. The council have done absolutely nothing."
Tom Wooton, Mayor of Bedford Borough Council, who visited the area after the explosion, said in a statement issued by the council: "I'm deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Cleat Hill. My thoughts are with the family, friends, and all those directly affected, as well as the wider local community.
"We are working closely with the emergency services and other partner organisations to provide any assistance needed, both at the scene and to residents who have been impacted.
"We will continue to offer support as the emergency response progresses."
Diana Johnson, who is temporarily staying with the vicar with her husband while the area is cordoned off, said she was unsure when they might return home.
She said: "Lots of us left in a hurry, thinking we’ll be back in a few hours. And now of course I’m still wearing the things I was wearing on Saturday.
"A lot of residents are struggling, because they need medication that they’ve left behind, all sorts of issues, that - as you can imagine - suddenly you’ve got to leave your house at 10 minutes' notice."
A pocket of natural gas was discovered around 100 metres under the ground in the Cleat Hill area in July while contractors were putting in a ground source heat pump.
During that repair work they were ordered to leave their properties by Bedford Borough Council and the emergency services.
People living in the quiet street are being housed elsewhere and the area remains cordoned off for police investigations.
The council said an emergency assistance centre was opened for people living in nearby homes and the authority is continuing to provide emergency accommodation for those who need it.
A spokesman added it was unable to let people visit nearby homes for safety reasons.
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