A father-of-two is in hospital with serious injuries after his home in Newlands was destroyed in a massive explosion of unknown cause yesterday afternoon.
Rex Watler, 44, was at the house on Bayfield Crescent at the time of the blast just after 1pm, a family friend told the Compass. It is unclear who else was there at the time.
Jolene Nelson-Henry said he is in “critical condition” and she is awaiting more information “as to how or if he’ll be able to be treated on island or if he needs to be airlifted”.
Meanwhile, the other three adults and two young children who lived at the property “lost everything” in the explosion and are in desperate need of assistance, Nelson-Henry said.
“Right now, we’d like to focus on getting them the support that they need,” she said. “They have small children. They have no clothes or food or anything else.”
A drop box for clothes, food and toiletries has been set up at Foster’s Countryside in Savannah.
Anyone wishing to make a financial donation can contact [email protected] for more details.
‘A war zone’
Police and the fire service are continuing investigations into the cause of the explosion which seriously damaged the property and surrounding homes, and left four people injured.
Of the injured, three have been released from hospital, police confirmed on Tuesday.
Premier Wayne Panton, MP for Newlands, who visited the site with parliamentary secretary Heather Bodden on Monday, said: “It was a scary scene, reminiscent of a war zone.”
In a Facebook post he wrote: “Under the circumstances, I am extremely grateful that there was no loss of life and pray those injured will make a full recovery.”
He offered “prayers and thoughts” to victims, neighbours, families and friends affected by the explosion on behalf of his family, the government and the wider community.
Police have placed barriers at the location for the protection of the public and to maintain the integrity of the scene.
“While this is being done, the public is being asked to avoid this area and to remain outside of the established cordons placed by the police,” a police press release said.
“Additionally, there may be places where debris is present, that have not been cordoned off.
“The public is also being asked, for their safety, to avoid this area until the authorities have deemed the area safe.”
Breaching police cordons is an offence and could result in a fine of $3,000 or a one-year prison sentence, or both.
Anyone who may need emotional support can call the Department of Counselling Services at 949-8789 or email [email protected]
Anyone whose property was impacted by the incident and needs assistance or who would like to assist those involved can call the Newlands community office on 943-7652.
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