A grandfather and his daughter-in-law have died after a gas explosion destroyed a house in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The blast, which occurred at around 5.10pm on Sunday, also left a man fighting for his life in hospital and injured several others, including two children.
The body of Leslie Rourke, 71, a retired company director, was found buried under the basement and ground floor of the property. His daughter-in-law Jeanette Rourke, 40, was also killed; her body was recovered by emergency services on Monday afternoon. Jeanette's husband Nick, in his 40s, was rescued from the rubble and remains in hospital with serious injuries.
A mother and her two children—a four-month-old baby and a seven-year-old boy—were rescued from a neighbouring property and taken to hospital. More than 100 residents were evacuated from their homes, with a rest centre set up at a nearby leisure centre.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes. Resident Dan Walker said he heard 'an almighty bang' and felt the floor shake. Isla MacDonald, who lives on Wright Street, said she saw a man crawling through debris, bleeding, and helped carry him to safety. Another witness, Cormac Fleming, said a woman passed a two-month-old baby to him through a front window.
Nottinghamshire Police continue to search the rubble. Before his retirement, Mr Rourke was a director of Tuxford Mine of Information Ltd, a charity promoting rural regeneration. A friend described him as 'a wonderful, caring man' who was heavily involved in charity work.
