Fire Service crews have launched an investigation into a “massive” explosion on Monday that left four people injured.
Eyewitnesses recalled that the impact sounded “as if something dropped from the sky”.
Christie, who lives near to the site of the incident on Bayfield Crescent in North Sound Estates, off Hirst Road, told the Compass, “It was like an earthquake, but not from the earth.”
“We wondered if a plane crashed or someone drove into a gas tank by our house or something. The wind, when the explosion happened, the wind hit us, we felt the impact all the way on Leonce Drive,” she described.
In the aftermath of the explosion, police confirmed four people were being treated by emergency medical services and urged members of the public to avoid the site, so fire crews could “identify the source of the explosion”.
The cause, at this stage of the investigation, remains unclear.
A press release cautioned people that breaching a police cordon could land them with a $3,000 fine and a one-year prison sentence.
‘Major’ damage
Alexander Henry, who lives on Bayfield Crescent, told the Compass he was about to have lunch when he heard “a loud bang, it sounded like a bomb had dropped”.
He said he assessed his home for damage given “it was such a heavy, heavy impact” and then checked in with his neighbours, one of whom said he feared the foundation of his home may have shifted as a result of the force of the blast.
The home where the explosion occurred received “major damage” police said earlier on Monday, adding “some nearby structures were also damaged”.
An eyewitness, who lives opposite the house and called 911, told the Compass the explosion caused the windows of her own house to blow in and the AC vents to fall.
“There was debris everywhere,” she said, adding all of the nearby homes would have sustained damage too.
“It almost felt like a very loud firework, but you’re standing right next to it,” she explained.
Another eyewitness at the scene told the Compass the explosion caused windows in their home nearby to “boom and rattle”.
Ambulances, as well as police, the regiment, and fire crews attended the site.
Reshma Ragoonath and Iris Stoner contributed to this report.
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