One dead and seven injured in Saint-Gilles gas explosion

A large gas explosion occurred around 16.00 on Saturday in a house located in the Chaussée de Waterloo in Saint-Gilles. The explosion left one dead and seven wounded, including two children, aged two and 15.

The cause of the gas explosion is still not known. The damage was so great that fire experts were unable to inspect the devastation at the weekend in order to determine the source of the suspected gas leak. The two families who lived in the building lost all of their belongings in the blast.

While one family was not home when the building exploded, the other family was home and even had family visiting. Seven of the eight family members managed to escape from the building. The grandfather, who was in a wheelchair, was found dead under the rubble.

One adult had severe burns to the hands and face, but they are not life-threatening. Two children, aged two and 15, were also severely injured, but doctors say they will survive. The other four family members sustained minor injuries.

photo: Kimberly Joy