Key Points
- A woman’s body was found after an explosion destroyed a unit in Sydney.
- The blast, which is under investigation, happened on Saturday morning in Whalan in the city’s west.
- Residents reported a gas smell for weeks before the explosion.
Gas experts will investigate the confronting scene of a blast that collapsed a Sydney unit complex after the body of a woman was found in the rubble.
The victim, aged in her 30s, was found by emergency workers about 3.20am on Monday, after on Saturday afternoon.
It’s speculated a gas leak played a role in the deadly blast amid reports locals smelled gas in the area in recent weeks.
Five other people were hospitalised following the explosion, which was felt across several suburbs in the city’s west.
Locals reported smelling gas in the area in the weeks before the explosion. Source: Supplied / Fire and Rescue NSW
Blacktown Detective Superintendent Darren Newman said independent experts would attend the site to “get the best information available as to how this occurred”.
“They’ll go through a whole process and they’ll work with our crime scene examiners to make sure that we can thoroughly investigate this,” he told reporters in Whalan on Monday.
The woman’s body was found after a crane was used to move the property’s concrete slab. The discovery dashed hopes she would be found alive.
Choking back tears, Newman said the victim’s mother was devastated by the loss and that police had been working with her since the collapse.
“Obviously we had to deliver a death message this morning,” he said, describing the incident as difficult and confronting for emergency workers.
“We just do the best we possibly can.”
The search and rescue technicians included firefighters who responded to last year’s earthquake disaster in Türkiye. Source: AAP / Mark Evans
The police investigation will be a part of a report for the coroner, who had been on-site with emergency teams on Monday, authorities said.
While the cause of the explosion is unknown, NSW deputy premier Prue Car has said she is “deeply concerned” amid reports gas could be a factor.
NSW Fire and Rescue Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell previously said there had been a leak at the site after the explosion, which hampered rescue efforts.
Dozens of search and rescue technicians, including firefighters who responded to , had been working at the scene.