Woman’s body found after explosion
Written by admin on June 3, 2024
A woman’s body has been found after an explosion ripped through a suburban townhouse in Sydney’s west.
The explosion happened in Whalan, around 45 kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD, just before 1pm on Saturday.
The body was found at the scene about 3.20am on Monday and is yet to be formally identified.
It comes amid fears for missing nurse Jasmin Mhey, 30, who was visiting her mother when she was trapped in the rubble and debris following Saturday’s explosion.
Residents told the Daily Telegraph her mother, Mercy, kept vigil from across the street as rescuers desperately sifted through rubble and debris.
“She (Ms Mhey’s mother) kept dialling her daughter’s number, but there was nothing,” local woman Amy told the Daily Telegrpah.
“Then she told the police her daughter was meant to be at Volcano’s steak restaurant at Wetherill Park.
“So, the police rang there and they said she hadn’t turned up, so we knew she must be under there.”
Another local told the Sydney paper Mercy had kept saying “my daughter’s strong, my daughter’s strong”.
NSW Fire and Rescue, police and specialist urban rescue crews had been sifting through the rubble at Waikanda Crescent in Whalan since the explosion.
Firefighters rushed to the site of the incident at Waikanda Crescent which injured six people and destroyed multiple nearby units shortly before 1pm on Saturday.
The explosion was so strong it was felt 40 kilometres away.
Five people were evacuated, including two women aged in their 60s and 70s. A dog was also rescued.
Early rescue efforts were hampered by the gas mains, which were unable to be isolated until later into Saturday afternoon.
Once shut off, a large-scale search got underway as rescuers desperately sifted through the rubble, including with seismic monitoring devices.
Early reports indicated rescuers had heard tapping or banging noises soon in the hours immediately after the explosion.
While the cause of the explosion is yet to be determined, it is thought to have been the result of a gas leak.
Housing Minister Rose Jackson told Nine News on Sunday her department was investigating reports of a gas smell at the government-owned units.
“I am deeply concerned to hear of accounts from residents who reportedly raised the issue of the smell of gas within the last 12 months,” she said.
“I have instructed Homes NSW to urgently investigate this matter. The Department are currently checking maintenance logs for any history of this.”
Ms Jackson confirmed residents would be entitled to counselling and temporary accommodation until future housing options were identified.
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