Woman saved by washing machine in house explosion
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A woman rescued after a suspected gas blast destroyed her home was saved by her washing machine. (Sky News)
A woman rescued after a suspected gas blast destroyed her home was saved by her washing machine, according to firefighters.
Wendy Ayoub is recovering in hospital after the explosion reduced her house in Wolverhampton into a pile of rubble.
The 73-year-old was found by rescue workers wedged in a void next to her washing machine with the weight of the roof and upper floor above her.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In a statement released through New Cross Hospital, Mrs Ayoub thanked her rescuers.
"I am comfortable and recovering well. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the emergency services and hospital staff who have helped me."
Emergency services arrived at a scene of devastation in Penn Road shortly after 8am on Monday to find the two-story detached home flattened.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fire crews and specially trained medics worked by hand for 90 minutes to free the woman.
David Baker, West Midlands Fire Service incident commander, said: "They were able to locate the elderly lady in the rear ground-floor kitchen with the remainder of the roof and first floor on top of her.
"She was wedged in a void next to the washing machine."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He added: "Due to the presence of gas - we believe the explosion was as a result of gas - there was still an explosion risk.
"We couldn't use any cutting tools, so we had to manually handle all the debris away from her."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "She has suffered cuts and bruises and a broken ankle, but when you consider the level of damage to the property, she has been extraordinarily lucky not to have been more seriously injured."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ms Ayoub was taken to hospital and three others, including a taxi driver who was going past the house when it exploded, were treated for shock.