Family 'loses everything' after home of 35 years destroyed in gas explosion
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
A family have been left with nothing after their home of 35 years was destroyed in a suspected gas explosion.
Rich Cainey, along with his parents Rob and Deb, both 60, were devastated when their house was caught in a catastrophic blast on Tuesday, April 29.
The explosion in Yate, Gloucestershire, left four hurt with onlookers describing it as a 'miracle' that no-one was killed.
READ MORE: The 'confusing' Midland road with seven different names but it's still the same road
The force of the blast flattened one home in Lancaster Road and left another uninhabitable, while residents say up to five homes may need to be pulled down due to severe structural damage.
Rich's family home was among those damaged and needs complete demolition and reconstruction, expected to take around 18 months.
The family had to leave with virtually nothing. Rich said he only had the boxer shorts and mobile phone he took with him following the explosion.
They are now staying with relatives and are looking to move into a rental by the end of next week.
The explosion also destroyed Rich's car, prompting his friends to start a GoFundMe page to support the family in rebuilding their lives.
The 35-year-old Airbus repair worker said: "Every day is different stress and a different worry.
"I came to terms quite quickly because all of my property is in the loft so I know I'm not likely to get anything - if I can get anything it is a bonus.
"For my parents it is a lot different - it is all their memories for 35 years when they lived in the house."
Surveyors said the house was "not in a good place to get in".
Rich said: "It has been a stress for my mum trying to see if we can get photos of my grandparents.
"Where the hole was there was also fire damage and water damage the upstairs.
"The cracks around the front of the house and the damaged extension indicate it's all going to need to be torn down and rebuilt.
"I was hoping to move out from my parents this year so I was collecting a lot of stuff to get into the new house,".
"But it is starting from scratch again for me. I have my savings but I had stuff in the house, which I was gonna be moving into a new house with, before this happened.
"Pretty much everything is still in the house. I walked out on the house in the morning in just my boxers and my phone on my hand and that is all I have in terms of my possessions.
"I have borrowed clothes and bought a few pieces but I have absolutely nothing.
"It is the same with my parents - they have nothing because everything is in the second floor and we can't get up the stairs to get in the house because of the state of the damage."
He said the situation was something "you never think it is going to happen".
Rich added: "It is 35 years of memories but all the neighbours are out safe. Everyone I grew up with is now OK."
His pals have begun a fundraiser to gather funds for items and the reconstruction of their lives.
A GoFundMe organised by Kate Godwin along with three of Rich's friends read: "Our amazing friend Rich Cainey and his parents are one of the families sadly affected by this incident and have unfortunately now lost their family home and all of their possessions within, while Rich has also lost his car due to the blast.
"Amid the chaos, both Rob and Rich showed extraordinary courage, entering the burning neighbouring house to help the residents escape to safety-an act of selflessness and bravery that likely saved lives.
"This fundraiser is to support the Cainey family in any way we can-whether it's helping them secure temporary housing, replace essential belongings, or begin the long journey of rebuilding their lives."
For more information and to make a donation, visit: https://gofund.me/d4d955e1.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Young girls orphaned after father dies in Air India plane crash on way back from scattering wife's ashes
Two young sisters have been left orphaned after their father died in the Air India plane crash, just weeks after their mother died from cancer. Arjun Patoliya had travelled to India to hold a funeral for his wife Bharti. After fulfilling his wife's dying wish to scatter her ashes in Gujarat, Mr Patoliya boarded the Air India flight to Gatwick to return home to his two daughters, aged four and eight. The Air India AI-171 flight departed from Ahmedabad airport in the western state of Gujarat at 1.39pm local time (8.09am BST) on Thursday (12 June). However, after issuing a mayday call, it crashed into residential area of Meghani Nagar just five minutes after takeoff, India's civil aviation authority confirmed. All but one of the passengers on the flight died after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner struck a medical college, before bursting into flames. Images and videos from the city showed plumes of smoke pouring from the wreckage of the plane as emergency services rushed to the scene. There were 230 passengers and 12 crew members onboard the aircraft. They included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian, Air India said. A campaign to raise money for the two girls has been launched by close family and friends, to provide the children with 'security, stability, and love in the years ahead'. 'Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks,' the campaign reads. The GoFundMe campaign has raised over £55,000 of its £300,000 target in the past day. It can be found here. Indian investigators have recovered a second black box from the wreckage of the Air India flight as they continued combing the debris for evidence. The flight data recorder was found just hours after the first black box was discovered on Friday. Rescue workers have finished combing the crash site and were searching for those missing in the buildings as well as for any evidence that can help explain why the plane crashed soon after taking off. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was briefed by officials on the progress of rescue operations when he visited the crash site in his home state of Gujarat on Friday. Modi also met some of the injured being treated in hospital.
Press and Journal
17 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Community rallies to support Durno family after 'devastating' fire
An Aberdeenshire community has rallied round a family following a devastating fire at their home. Jenni Smith and Blair Tennant's family home in Durno, near Inverurie, went up in flames on Sunday afternoon. The family-of-six said they were 'heartbroken' to have lost their home and all of their belongings. But amid the tragedy, they have been 'overwhelmed' by the support shown to them by their local community. 'We are truly heartbroken and cannot put into words how upsetting this has been for us,' Jenni told The Press and Journal. 'Losing everything we own, including memories and keepsakes that can never be replaced is incredibly hard. 'We are still in compete shock. 'It has not quite sunk in yet how catastrophic it has been for us all. 'We are though overwhelmed with the support given to us from the residents of Durno, surrounding villages, the Inverurie community and most of all our family and friends.' Though she did not know the family personally, Durno resident Nicola Craigen decided to start a fundraiser to support them. Almost £6,000 has been donated so far. Jenni added: 'Nicola, whom we have never met before, kindly set up a GoFundMe page for our family. 'We are so grateful for that and the to the people who have generously donated money, clothes, toys and much more. 'We can't express how much this means to us. 'It's so humbling to know there are so many kind people out there.' Nicola came home on Sunday afternoon to find fire engines blocking the road and smoke rising from her neighbour's roof. It is understood the fire started in a van and quickly spread to the house, where the couple lived with children Blair, Kian, Meadow and Sunday-Maë. 'It was a terrible shock,' Nicola said. 'Once it took hold, it progressed quite quickly. 'The thing that struck me the most was the sound of all the smoke alarms going off. 'I thought of starting a Go Fund Me to help the family and cheer them up. 'It could happen to anyone.' Luckily, nobody was injured as a result of the fire but the young family have been forced to start over. As well as donations to the online fundraiser, neighbours and friends have dropped off clothes, toys and other essential items. Jenni added: 'We would like to especially thank our neighbours Susan and Willie Penny for their support on the day of the fire and since. 'They are the best neighbours anyone could wish for. 'Julie Nash and her family have also taken in donations at their house for us and looked after our dogs. 'We'd like to thank so many people for their kindness towards us at this difficult time.' The fire service dispatched four crews to the property at the weekend. A spokesperson said: 'We were alerted at 2.45pm on Sunday June 8 to reports of a house fire in Durno. 'We sent four appliances to the scene, where firefighters worked to extinguish a fire affecting the roof space. 'There were no reported casualties and crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.' The family said they are still in shock after the blaze. 'We have a long road in front of us but most importantly we have each other and the best support from family and friends,' Jenni said.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
Fatal error on Air India Flight 171 could have caused horror crash, expert warns
An aviation expert has weighed in on the cause of the Air India plane crash after reviewing footage of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner tragically plummeting from the sky An aviation expert has weighed in on the cause of the Air India plane crash, pointing at the possibility of human error. The plane, which was carrying 242 people - including 53 Brits - crashed in a fireball just outside Ahmedabad Airport in western India, less than a minute after its departure on Thursday. The aircraft in question has been identified as a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registered under VT-ANB. As it crashed down, it flew directly into a student dining room, The Mirror understands. The cause of the crash has not been shared yet, with Boeing stating: "We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.' Marco Chan, former airline pilot and senior aviation lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, has shared his theories as to what could have caused the catastrophe. READ MORE: Air India pilot's chilling last mayday call before horror crash with 53 Brits on board Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, he reviewed low-resolution footage of the crash which was circulating online. Mr Chan said: "I understand there are several experts who have identified the fact that the flats or slats on the wings haven't been extended properly. I can't really verify that from the footage, but that could be a possibility. "The flaps increase the surface area of the wing, so more air comes into contact with the wing. "It's like when you put your arms out of your car and if you have your sleeves hanging out as well, and the wind catches your sleeves. More air comes under the lifts up the plane. "So without those, the aircraft would have less lift, and, and with those extended properly, the aircraft is able to generate the same amount of lift at a much lower speed. In this case that could be an issue." He added that pilots must also go through checklists to verify the configuration of the aircraft before take off. "Admittedly yes, that would be a human error if that wasn't done properly." Mr Chan explained: "In the cockpit of the Airbus I used to operate, we have what we call the take-off config button, which tests the take-off configuration. If there's a problem, it would give you a signal to say you haven't done your job properly. "On top of that we'll have a paper or digital checklist again just to verify that things have been prepared properly". Mr Chan examined other factors that could have interfered with the plane, such as the weather. "Usually with these incidents, the first thing I'll look at is the weather reports, but then it appears to be a calm day, no wind or thunderstorms or anything, so that could be ruled out," he said. "I also looked at the status of the engines. I can't see any smoke coming out of the engines, which means it's unlikely there was an issue with either of them. With a bird strike, strike would usually have a puff of smoke from the engine, so that could be ruled out too "Potentially there could be an engine failure, but again, engine failure would result in smoke a lot of time or at least small fireballs. Investigators will want to look at that." The expert also commented on reports that the aircraft did not use the full length of the runway. "They were reportedly taking off from an intersection of the runway, which means you have a shorter runway. "The engine has to work extra hard for it to climb, so that could be a factor as well." Mr Chan also ruled out any intentionality behind the crash, pointing at one key indicator. "Usually, if it was an intentional crash, the nose of the aircraft would be pointing towards the ground. It would be in a dive, although to be fair, it's only 400 ft above ground. "Instead, it was sort of falling out of the sky with the nose still pointing upwards, which points to the fact that I think the aircraft is still trying to climb, but it couldn't." According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1:39 p.m. local time (9:09 a.m. BST) from runway 23. Shortly after take-off, the crew issued a "mayday" distress call, indicating an emergency situation. However, no further communication was received from the aircraft after the initial alert. Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that it lost the signal from the aircraft just seconds after it became airborne. "The signal from the aircraft was lost at 10:08 local time at 625 feet, less than a minute after take off," the site tweeted. The plane was en route to London Gatwick and was due to arrive at 18:25 this evening. In a statement posted online, the airport said: "We can confirm that flight AI171, which crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad Airport today, was scheduled to arrive at London Gatwick at 18:25." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was 'devastating', while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was 'heartbreaking beyond words'. The King is being updated on the incident, Buckingham Palace said. India's federal health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said in a statement that 'many people' were killed in the crash. Air India's chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a 'tragic accident' and a 'devastating event' and said emergency response teams are at the site. Commons Leader Lucy Powell said the Government will provide 'all the support that it can' to those affected by the incident. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said. Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses. The airline's UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled. The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded. The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013. The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month. The FCDO said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.
