Yahoo News Man in his 40s remains in critical condition in hospital after house explosion in County Durham
A man is still fighting for his life in hospital following a house explosion.
A property on Coronation Street in Willington, County Durham, exploded at around 1.30am on Monday. A man in his 40s sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle.
He remains in hospital in a critical condition. A young German Shepherd dog also died during the incident.
Nearby residents were evacuated following the explosion in the early hours of the morning. Police have been working alongside gas engineers and fire investigators at the scene to establish the cause of the explosion.
Officers have since stood down from the scene. A cordon, which was placed around the property, has now been lifted. Gas engineers will remain in the street for the next few days while the local council and the landlord work to make the property safe.
Detective Chief Inspector Mel Sutherland is leading the investigation for Durham Constabulary. He said: "This was an extremely frightening experience for all those involved and has caused a great deal of concern within the local community.
"Several residents displayed extraordinary bravery coming to the injured man’s aid following the explosion and I’d like to sincerely thank them for their selflessness in helping someone during their time of need.
"The community spirit shown by these residents has been extremely moving to witness – if anyone needs any extra support in the coming days or weeks, please contact us and we can signpost you to people who can help."
DCI Sutherland said that while their enquiries at the scene have been completed, their investigation to establish the cause of the blast remains ongoing.
He added: "I'd like to ask anyone who may have any information that could assist these enquiries to contact us as soon as possible."
Anyone with information has been urged to contact the force on 101, quoting incident number 20 of June 24. Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
