Residents to meet with council bosses to discuss returning to homes one month after fatal Bedford explosion

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Residents evacuated following a fatal explosion in Bedford are set to meet with council bosses to discuss how best to manage their eventual return home.

Paul Swales, 85, and Julia Harris, 84, died following the blast and major fire at Cleat Hill, Bedford, on October 19.

The incident happened close to an underground gas leak, after a deep borehole was drilled earlier this year to install a ground source heat pump.

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Bedford Borough Council said 50 evacuated households all "have had a different experience and it’s vital that we understand what reassurances they need, both when going back to their home and moving forward beyond that".

A cordon remained in place at the scene while investigations into the cause of the explosion were ongoingA cordon remained in place at the scene while investigations into the cause of the explosion were ongoing
A cordon remained in place at the scene while investigations into the cause of the explosion were ongoing

A cordon remained in place at the scene while the police, fire service and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the cause of the explosion.

At a residents' meeting on Monday the HSE, according to the BBC, confirmed the borehole had been filled with cement to make it gas tight.

It added the cement had cured, and it was confident the gas had been stopped but would be monitored going forward.

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A spokesman for the council said regular public meetings had taken place, with the latest meeting live streamed for those who could not attend, stating and it was "important that our residents are kept safe and that we listen to them".

Temporary accommodation has been provided for those evacuated from their homes as long as it’s needed, along with financial support, an advice and support centre, free office space with free car parking at Borough Hall, and a 24-hour emergency helpline.

The spokesperson added: "We have also worked closely with partner agencies, facilitating residents to go back to their homes to collect essential belongings, with the welfare checks and assessments, and with door-knocking in the wider area.

"And, we have supported the patrols by Bedfordshire Police by arranging for officers from a private security firm.

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"We appreciate that this has been a challenging time for residents, and we appreciate their patience, cooperation and understanding."

Staff from Bedford Borough Council are to have discussions with residents, both individually and in groups, about monitoring of the area and of homes moving forward, as well as about what reassurances they would want around returning to their homes.

“That’s a key reason for why we’ve had our meetings over the last few weeks, and why we are having these more intimate discussions with residents.”

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