'It was like a bomb went off' - Cornish paramedic describes the moment his parents' house exploded
Report by Sam Blackledge
A man from Bude has described the moment his house exploded.
Darren Cornish was sitting with his parents in the lounge of their home in Traly Close on the evening of Wednesday 20 January when he noticed a strong smell of gas. He and his mother went to i
nvestigate the gas cooker in the kitchen.
Darren said: "Mum went down to look inside the oven, opened the oven door and she just opened it, 'Bang!' It just went up.
"It was just a massive explosion and it was like a flash in front of my face and I just felt my face get really hot and I was aware that it was burning.
"The next thing I know, mum was screaming and making a noise."
Darren added: "The gas was still hissing, the water was going everywhere and I just grabbed mum, ran out to the front of the house.
"It was literally like a bomb went off, they even heard it across Bude.
"They thought it was thunder!"
Although Darren did not feel the blast himself, he has been told houses in the neighbourhood shook.
He added: "We were lucky to be alive".
Darren, who is a paramedic, and a friend managed to get his mum and dad out, which was not easy as his father is disabled and walks with a stick.
His mother was taken to North Devon District Hospital where she was treated for burns to her hands and face. His father was unhurt.
Darren said: "Dad was okay, he was left unscathed. When the blast went off, he was sat in the lounge with the remote control in his hand. I think he was just gobsmacked. He didn't know what had happened. It was quite surreal to see him sat there."
Darren was left with minor injuries. He said: "I burned the side of my hand a bit and my head. Apart from that I'm lucky.
"I've still got my vision. I've lost my other glasses that I picked up yesterday - they're gone - but apart from that just a head injury, which is really superficial. I got away likely, I think.
"I think someone up there was watching us."
Darren's parents are in their 70s and are still in a state of shock. They are now staying with his sister.
The house is a wreck. Ironically Darren said his mother had wanted to move.
"It is just bricks and mortar. At the end of the day you can't replace family.
"Clearly the bricks and mortar here will have to be torn down and rebuilt. It's a shame to see it like it is. It holds a lot of memories, a lot of good times.
"What's important now is to get that shored up and safe and make sure mum and dad are okay."
Darren is very grateful to the community and Deacon Debbie Marsh from Bude Methodist Church for rallying round to help.
He said: "It's actually overwhelming to see the community come together and offer their support.
"I'm just gobsmacked with it. It's great. I just couldn't wish for a better community up here at Bude and Kilkhampton."
Darren said he is simply so thankful to be alive.
"The fire brigade and the ambulance service said they'd never seen anything like it ever. It doesn't happen. People don't walk away from things like this.
"I think I'm going to try to pass it on, try to pass my thanks to somebody else."
Glenn Thorne, Wales & West Utilities Gas Emergency Service Manager for Bude said they immediately sent a team to the scene.
He added: “We worked with the emergency services to make the area safe and carried out all necessary gas safety checks. We have found no evidence of a mains gas leak in the area and the property itself was not connected to our gas network.
“The cause of the explosion is still being investigated by the emergency services, however, we do not believe it is related to the mains gas network."
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