Free parking and offices for explosion evacuees
- Published
A council has offered free parking and office space as part of its ongoing financial support to 50 households that were evacuated after a fatal explosion.
Bedford Borough Council said it had received more than 300 calls to its emergency helpline after the explosion in Cleat Hill on 19 October, which killed Paul Swales, 85, and Julia Harris, 84.
The blast happened at a property close to where an underground gas leak occurred, after a 100m (328ft) deep borehole was drilled to install a ground source heat pump.
"Text messages have been sent every three hours updating residents from the evacuation area," said the council.
Resident Joel Simpson, 22, previously described hearing a sound "like a gunshot" before seeing "this whole building in complete flames".
He said he was evacuated from his home, along with his parents, and they were only allowed back in for a 10-minute slot to pack bags.
The 50 homes in the evacuated area are being protected by police patrols and private security guards.
"All residents have been offered the opportunity to return home and collect essential belongings from their homes," the council said.
It is providing temporary accommodation for "as long as required" and has also offered "free digital access and a printer, free office and parking space" and advice and welfare support.
Residents have also been able to join public meetings, as a number of organisations investigate the incident and work to secure the area.
The Ground Source Heat Pump Association (GSHPA) said it was "essential to thoroughly understand the circumstances that led to this incident".
"We will work closely with all relevant parties to examine how this occurred and learn from this tragic situation.
"We have received questions about the presence of gas in boreholes. To the best of our knowledge, this is an extremely rare occurrence."
A spokesperson for the Bedfordshire Local Resilience Forum, external said: "Our thoughts remain with everybody who has been affected by the tragic incident at Cleat Hill.
"We appreciate that this has been a challenging time for residents, and we appreciate their patience, cooperation and understanding. We will continue to offer our support."
Get in touch
Do you have a story suggestion for Beds, Herts & Bucks?
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, Instagram, external and X, external.
Related topics
Related stories
- Published31 October
- Published28 October
- Published26 October