A gran has revealed how she has been left homeless after her property was declared unsafe following a huge gas blast which killed her elderly neighbour. Louby Lane, 60, was sat in her living room when a massive explosion tore through the neighbouring terraced house in Kingstanding, Birmingham last Sunday (26/6).
The force of the blast, which killed grandma Doreen Rees-Bibb, 79, blew out Louby's downstairs windows and forced her and her grandchildren to flee the property. Louby's home of 38 years has now been left on the brink of collapse and is earmarked for demolition after being declared structurally dangerous.
The gran-of-two has only been allowed back to grab a few essentials meaning the majority of her possessions remain inside the abandoned property. She says as a result she has "lost everything" and has been forced to officially register as homeless as the council has yet to find her a suitable replacement.
Louby, who lives with her grandchildren Megan and Morgan Rowe, aged 11 and 13, says the nearest alternative accommodation she has been offered is 90 miles away - in Luton. Her daughter Terri Rowe has now set up an online fundraiser to help raise money to replace her possessions which face being lost when the home is bulldozed.
Louby said: "The explosion itself was insane. I just came out the kitchen and sat on the settee and I heard a funny noise. I don’t know how to describe it, it was weird. There was this big gush that came rushing through and then a huge bang which shook the house.
"The windows were blown off and then I could hear people screaming, the grandkids were upstairs shouting me. Everybody started running into the house next door. There were so many people in the street, it felt like thousands.
"A neighbour called Sam from up the street came down and took me and the kids to her house. It was just crazy and so tragic."
Louby and her grandchildren have been put up in a room above a pub for the short term but remains "in limbo" about her next move. She added: “I’m homeless now, at 60. We’ve got a room at the Kingstanding Inn for now and the owner has been amazing to us.
“But I’m in limbo currently. I’ve had to register as homeless, which was a bit surreal. I spoke to the council and they were supposed to phone me but I’ve heard nothing really.
“They only told me that they had a place available in Luton. With everything they were saying to me, I broke down and cried.
"I want to remain in the area where all my friends and family are really.
“There hasn’t been too much help really. There’s talk of temporary accommodation, but you don’t want to keep moving.
“I never thought I’d be homeless at 60. I thought a lot of things would happen but I didn’t expect that one.
"I have brand new wardrobes, a new cooker, a new dryer but I'm not allowed in and get any of my stuff out. They’re saying if they try and unplug something the whole building might just collapse so I'm going to lose it all.
"There is sentimental stuff in there that the kids have made. The firemen let me in a couple of times but it was just to grab essentials.
"I was a bit embarrassed by the fundraiser, I didn’t want to do it but I don't know what I'm going to do. It’s just like starting from scratch. I’ve always done things on my own so all this is very surreal."
The fatal house blast which left Doreen dead and her partner David Murphy fighting for his life was caused by a gas leak accidentally being ignited. He was dragged from the burning property by hero locals who heard him screaming: “Please help my missus!”
David remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital following the explosion which obliterated the property at 8.38pm last Sunday. Louby added: “I know Dave next door, but I didn’t know his partner that well. He’s a bit like me, he keeps himself to himself.
"I know he’s quite bad right now but I really hope he gets better.”
Daughter Terri wrote on GoFundMe: "After 38 years of living here and building her life with her two grandchildren she has lost everything as her things will be demolished with the house as its unsafe. My mom has always tried to help anyone and is too proud to ask for help but since this has happened she's a shell of the person she was with the stress and worry of where she will end up and how she will replace everything."
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said “Birmingham City Council expresses its deepest sympathy for all those who have been affected by this terrible tragedy. We will continue to work with the local community and other partners to help provide accommodation, food, clothes and any other support that may be required for all those that have been affected.
"At present, citizens are being accommodated in a local hotel - and this will continue while we clear the site. We also want to be clear that all those affected, who have been made permanently homeless, are being given advice and support by our Housing Officers.”
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