Police are still determining what caused an explosion at a Tuncurry home on the Lakes Way Friday morning, killing at least one person.
“A deceased person was found amongst the debris but is yet to be identified,” Manning Great Lakes Inspector Neil Stephens said at the scene on Friday afternoon.
“Police Rescue specialists from Newcastle are en route to the scene and they will conduct the retrieval of the body. A dog was also located deceased. The neighbouring properties have been evacuated and there were no other injuries sustained in the explosion.”
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Emergency services were called to The Lakes Way at around 11am this morning after an explosion rocked Tuncurry. Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the blaze and the body of the deceased was located in the ruins soon after.
“Shortly before 11am we received numerous 000 calls regarding an explosion in Tuncurry,” Inspector Stephens said.
AUDIO: James Perry describes the moment the explosion shook his building
“Police arrived on the scene to find a house completely destroyed with just a pile of rubble remaining. There was debris all over the road up to 100 metres away from the explosion. Much of the debris is pieces of fibro and asbestos so the incident has been declared a HAZMAT incident.”
It is not yet known what caused the explosion.
“The cause is yet to be determined but at this stage we’re investigating the possibility of a gas related explosion,” Inspector Stephens said.
Inspector Stephens refuted any suggestions that drugs were involved.
“There is nothing to indicate that drug activity was involved in the explosion.”
Specialised vacuum machinery was being brought from Newcastle to help clear the asbestos debris spread by the explosion and The Lakes Way remained closed as police carried out investigations at the site where the body was uncovered.
Great Lakes Council’s Andrew Blatch, speaking from the site, said two specialist asbestos operators had been brought in to deal with the debris, one local and one from Newcastle. Mr Blatch said most of the debris would have to be removed by hand.
Traffic has been stopped in both directions, with school buses brought into local schools early to take students home via a longer detour.
The house, which was destroyed in the explosion, will be fenced off and will have to be demolished, Mr Blatch said.
The Environmental Protection Authority is also attending the scene due to the asbestos concerns.
