FIVE PEOPLE were lucky to escape with minor injuries following an explosion in a residential area in Blackrock, Co Dublin, yesterday afternoon.
Four units of the fire brigade and three ambulances attended the scene of the explosion, which occurred at a private house in St Anne’s Square at about 1.30pm.
“It was a serious explosion,” a fire service spokesman said. “It could have been far worse. Someone could easily have been killed.”
The damaged house was empty at the time of the blast and it is suspected the explosion may have occurred because of a gas leak.
Bord Gáis said it was assisting the emergency services in investigating the incident. However, this may not get under way for some time. The gas board said the cause of the explosion was not known at this stage.
“The local authority is currently establishing the means necessary to make the buildings safe in order to allow detailed examination of the scene,” it said in a statement.
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said two adjacent council houses were damaged in the blast and that more than 30 nearby council houses had been evacuated “until such time as the damaged buildings have been made safe”.
“Emergency accommodation is being provided for these families in the short term and more long-term arrangements will be discussed with the families, in due course,” the council said in a statement last night.
It is understood that the injured people included an elderly woman who lived in one of the adjoining properties, a motorist and three passers-by. They were taken to St Vincent’s Hospital for treatment.
St Anne’s Square and Temple Road were cordoned off by gardaí following the incident.
