Benwell resident found window in her garden after explosion opposite her home

Margaret Ramsay was at home with her dog Rosie when several flats on Violet Close were reduced to rubble following a house explosion

A South Benwell resident said she was too scared to go to the door when her house was rocked by an explosion in the early hours of this morning.

Margaret Ramsay was at home with her dog Rosie when several flats on Violet Close were reduced to rubble following a house explosion, which killed a seven-year-old boy and hospitalised three adults and a child. Searches continue in the area to ensure everyone is accounted for.

Margaret, who lives opposite the flats, explained that emergency services were at the scene before could look out of her window.

And when she looked outside she found a window pane in her garden which had been flung over her home by the force of the explosion. She added that her home also sustained damage in the incident, including large cracks on her ceiling.

The 61-year-old said: "A window frame and glass from the houses over the road came over the top of my roof and landed in my garden. All I heard was a bang and I thought someone was trying to break in.

"My stomach was turning and I was scared to go to the door because I thought someone was trying to break in. Then I went to the window and saw the glass. I didn't even notice there was a fire until I went into the kitchen and said 'what's all the flashing lights'. I looked out of the curtains and saw the flats were ablaze."

She added: "One of the panes of glass in the front bedroom window had been smashed out, my lampshade fell off the ceiling in the back bedroom and there's loads of big cracks across the ceiling."

Margaret and Rosie were evacuated from their home with nothing but the clothes Margaret was wearing. The pair have been seeking shelter at Merton Lodge community centre since around 1.30am. She believes that she is going to be put in a hotel until her home is assessed.

Merton Lodge community centre was opened by manager Emma Skillen in the early hours of this morning after she heard about the explosion, which was quickly declared a major incident by emergency services who first arrived on scene.

Emma said: "I got up, saw all the flames and all I could think about was the families standing outside with nowhere to go so I grabbed my coat, put my shoes on and walked down to Buddle Road.

"I went straight over to police and said I was opening up the community centre for families and the next thing I knew they were bringing all the families in. Just after 1.30am around 50 families turned up. There was so many people that everyone couldn’t fit in the centre. We had people sitting on the wall outside in the rain."

Members of the community and businesses have been donating clothes, food and drink at the centre throughout the day to support residents affected by the incident.

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