Bedford flats explosion: Embassy helps with lost passport

Adrian Mazurkiwicz was left without a single form of identification after Monday's fire, he said

An embassy has stepped in to help a man who lost everything including his passport in a fatal fire.

On Monday, Adrian Mazurkiwicz's home was one of many destroyed in a blast that killed one resident at Redwood Grove flats in Bedford.

In August, Mr Mazurkiwicz was due to fly to Poland to see his first nephew and said his trip was in doubt as he had no documents now.

The Polish Embassy has said a free replacement passport would be issued.

Some 20 flats in the three-storey block were destroyed and a large section of the building's roof collapsed after the explosion and fire at about 09:30 BST.

The person who died had not yet been formally identified and a post-mortem examination was due to take place on Friday.

More than 20 flats at Redwood Grove have been destroyed

Mr Mazurkiwicz said he was "living day to day" in a hotel and was reliant on donations, which he was very grateful for.

So far he had been given items including toiletries, clothes and food that had been donated to Scott Hall Community Centre.

"It's still pretty stressful, still pretty difficult, it's just a hotel room, we haven't anything that is ours yet," the Polish national said.

"We're going to see our nephew which is an amazing event and at a time like this we're struggling to see any hope.

"It would be amazing to see a newborn child, my first nephew, and I am just smiling thinking about it."

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For several days Mr Mazurkiwicz said he had tried to contact the Polish Embassy to get a replacement passport, but had no luck.

After speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, who then spoke to the embassy on his behalf, he was told a replacement would be made, at no cost to him, as quickly as possible.

"You don't know what this means to me, thank you so much," he added.

An aerial platform was used to fight the flames on Monday morning

Some of the people who were evacuated from 78 flats in the adjacent block have since been able to return, Bedfordshire Police said.

A large section of the burnt building remained unsafe and "it will be some time before full examination and investigations can be carried out" a police spokesman said.

Investigators said they did not think anyone else was unaccounted for.

Police said the incident remained an "incredibly complex investigation"