Wirral blast: Some return to their properties
A number of properties in New Ferry, which had been within the police cordon since last Saturday’s explosion, will shortly be accessible again to owners or occupiers.
Watch: Blown sky high - the explosion was felt as far away as North Wales
While an area around the scene of the explosion remains within a reduced cordon, residents or businesses situated in properties a little further away will able to be gain access from this afternoon.
The addresses that this affects are as follows:
Even numbered addresses 2 to 30 Bebington Road
Odd numbered addresses 1 to 13 Bebington Road
Odd numbered addresses 13 to 35 Boundary Road
The council are currently in the process of making direct contact with as many of the owners/occupiers of these properties as possible to inform them of what they need to do to facilitate their return, which will be subject to a brief safety inspection of the interior of their property.
Agencies are working to reduce the cordon even further in the next 12 to 24 hours so that those in odd numbers 15 to 33 Bebington Road and even numbers 32 to 46 Bebington Road can also return to their premises. The council will attempt to make contact with them in due course.
The cordon around the immediate scene remains in place as Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Wirral Council, the Health and Safety Inspectorate and National Grid continue to jointly investigate the cause of the explosion.
David Ball, who is leading the recovery phase of this incident for Wirral Council, said: