Tributes have poured in for a 'true gentleman' who died in a bungalow garage fire. Emergency services were called to the garage of a property on Church Lane, in the village of Selston, Nottingham, at 7.18pm on Saturday where they found the body of 91-year-old Derek Poole in the wreckage.
A Life Remembered
Derek had gone into his workshop, where he also watched TV, when the explosion happened, his family told the BBC. Nottinghamshire Police said they are carrying out a joint fire and police investigation into the cause of the explosion.
Derek's family said he was a former autograss racer who loved cars and once had his own garage and haulage company. The family thanked their local community for the support it has shown after the passing of their much-loved father, grandfather and great-grandfather who was well known in the area where he had lived for 40 years.
Community Tributes
Friends took to the Nottingham Autograss Club Facebook page to pay tribute to Derek, with one writing: 'Difficult to put into a few words what effect Derek had on the Autograss world, I'd say an immense effect. A true gentleman, a very competitive racing driver and a dear friend to so many.'
'Derek hadn't enjoyed good health in these last few years but never the less he was still actively following his way of doing things, doing them the Derek Poole way. Thanks for all the memories Derek.'
Another said it was a 'terrible tragedy' and that he 'died doing what he loved, working in his workshop', while a third called him an 'absolute salt of the earth gentleman'. Others spoke of the impact Derek had on the autograss racing world, dubbing him the 'Grassin' Grandad'.
'Derek (or Grassin' Grandad) was an immense presence in his Fiat X19 when I came into grassin' in the early/mid 80's, and a Gentleman too,' one wrote. 'Over the years, Derek and a few others who are no longer with us, helped me enormously, and I will never forget him and them. Rest In Peace Derek, you were one of grassins' best.'
The Incident
Locals were evacuated from their homes after the explosion, as fire crews and police officers worked at the scene. The fire was eventually brought under control at around 9.50pm on Saturday with one crew remaining at the scene overnight. Nottinghamshire Police continue to probe the cause of the explosion and have confirmed they are treating it as an isolated incident.
Resident Faye Sturgess told the BBC: 'Being a farming community, we're used to hearing bangs from scaring the rabbits in the fields, but this was like nothing I've ever heard.' She added that after hearing the 'loudest thing I've ever heard', she raced to the scene to assist.
