Residents caught up in deadly Edinburgh gas blast face having their homes demolished
dailyrecord.co.ukDozens of residents rocked by a gas explosion in their street have been unable to return to their homes and some fear their properties may have to be pulled down.The blast last week killed James Smith, 84, and injured neighbours Robert Taylor and Stephanie Chapman.Five homes next to the centre of the explosion at Baberton Mains Avenue in Edinburgh are boarded up and are under police guard.
Owners of houses opposite were given permission on Friday to retrieve personal effects.Gary Taylor, 65, and wife Norma, 75, fear they may never be able to return to the property where they have lived for 35 years and claim it may have to be demolished.The retired bookseller said the blast on December 1 had caused five centimetre cracks in his walls and ceilings.He said: “The noise from the explosion will be one I will never forget.
I have resigned myself to the fact that the house might have to be pulled down if it is not structurally safe. No one can guarantee the safety of our homes at present.
At the end of the day it may depend on what the insurance companies are prepared to pay.“My hope would be that the house could be rebuilt on the same spot.”Gary believes that, even if his house is repaired and declared safe, it could be a year before he gets back in.The area around the blast site has been sealed off to allow a police investigation to take place.It is understood that the Crown Office has ordered all gas devices and appliances to be removed from the rubble for examination.A number of locals, including Steven MacLennan and Ross Aitchison, have been hailed heroes for pulling Stephanie from her collapsed home.
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