Pensioner, 78, dies in hospital after gas explosion rips through bungalow with such force that it causes ‘earthquake’ in road

A pensioner that was airlifted to hospital after a suspected gas explosion ripped through his home in Derbyshire has died, police have confirmed.

Nigel Barrow, 78, was rushed to hospital after the blast in New Mills, Derbyshire, on Tuesday. He passed away yesterday.

Derbyshire Police said that an investigation was ongoing at the site of the explosion and that officers were supporting Mr Barrow’s family.

‘An investigation is ongoing into the cause of the explosion, however, due to the damage caused to the property this has yet to be completed,’ a spokesperson said.

‘A further review of the scene will take place next week.’

Fire engines had rushed to the Ollersett Avenue home following reports of an explosion at 8:07 a.m. on Tuesday. Photos taken at the scene showed a ground-floor bungalow with flames racing upwards out of a heavily damaged roof.

Neighbours said they had felt the ground shake as if an ‘earthquake’ was taking place.

Danielle Allsop, 38, who lives ten doors down, said her partner Sean Reeder, 33, was among those that had sought to rescue Mr Barrow.

She said that she had been getting her two children ready for school when ‘there was an ungodly shake of the house – like almost an earthquake standard.’

‘We went upstairs, and initially we couldn’t see anything. But when we went to the front gate, we could see the house. The roof was caved in.

‘The poor man’s legs were burnt to shreds, he had shrapnel wounds, and his face was covered in blood.

‘But there were four young guys who pulled him out. Hats off to them because they went in before it set on fire.

‘My partner and another next-door neighbour were also first on the scene. They helped the man across the road when they got him out. We were there within seconds.

‘He wasn’t able to stand. He wasn’t in a good way at all. He was laying on the pavement across the road, covered by a curtain until the ambulance arrived.

‘My kids were in tears straight away. That’s how much the house shook, it was terrifying.’

Danielle said she had heard from neighbours that the man had recently moved into the council home, provided to elderly pensioners.

And she said there was speculation that he may have reported an issue with his boiler before the explosion.

She said: ‘He was obviously quite new to this street. He was living in the elderly bungalows.

‘They’re council houses for people in care who need a little extra assistance. So I think he’d recently moved here.

He’d been in hospital and he’d not been very well.

‘He’d come home and then obviously, apparently, there was something wrong with his boiler.’