Homes torn down after fatal gas explosion

The scene after the houses were torn down Credit: BPM Media

Two houses that were in the centre of a fatal gas explosion in Birstall in December have now been torn down.

One of the properties on Allington Drive, Birstall collapsed and another was completely destroyed after the explosion on Monday (11 December), which killed 79-year-old Janet Jasper.

Flowers and tributes have been laid where the houses once stood.

Around 50 other houses on the road were also damaged and many residents forced to leave their homes over Christmas, with some being told they won't be able to return for months.

Tributes have been laid at the place where the houses once stood. Credit: BPM Media

A relative of a nearby resident who has had to abandon their bungalow said: "It’s just a nightmare. It’s just a big mess."

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has ruled that the explosion was accidental and concluded that there would be no criminal investigation.