Gas smell reported hours before explosion that destroyed Walsall house
A smell of gas was reported to the fire service just hours before an explosion ripped through a house in Walsall, it has been revealed.
Paul Fisher lives next door to the home in Darlaston Road, which was wrecked by the explosion on Tuesday.
He said he told fire officers the night before he could smell gas and just hours later the father-of-three was woken by the explosion.
Mr Fisher ran into the rubble in his pyjamas to rescue those inside.
He said fly-tipped rubbish near to the houses was also set alight at about 10pm on Monday and when firefighters arrived to extinguish the blaze he mentioned the smell, which was tested for.
“Mattresses, household rubbish had all been dumped near to the house, it was a dumping site. It’s been cleared two or three times before,” he added.
“On Monday, at about 10pm, it was set on fire. We had to evacuate our premises and stand outside while the fire was put out.
“We reported to one of the fire officers that we smelt gas. He said he’d get a gas meter and then said he couldn’t detect anything.
“Then we were all in bed and there was a large noise. I came running downstairs and some neighbours were outside.
“I asked them if something had driven into next door and they said no.
“I put on my trainers and people were saying there’s people trapped in there.
“I went in and carried one guy out then dragged another out. Then five minutes later someone else came out the front window. The fire investigation crew was here. They interviewed me and I told them everything.”
Mr Fisher, his wife Donna and three teenage daughters were allowed to move back into the house on Wednesday morning after it had been assessed by a structural engineer.
Mr Fisher, who has lived on the street for 18 years, said: “It’s just an absolute nightmare but as far as I’m concerned we are really lucky. We were told sometimes these explosions can take out two or three houses.”
Two people were taken to hospital after the explosion with injuries not believed to be serious.
The house was destroyed by the explosion, along with a car that was passing at the time, while a number of nearby houses were also evacuated. Twenty-five firefighters were at the scene at the height of the incident.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Fire Service said the service was unable to comment due to ongoing police and fire investigations.
