The family of a trainee nurse who was found dead after a townhouse exploded and injured multiple people have broken their silence.
The massive blast occurred on the second level of the property on Waikanda Crescent in Whalan, in Sydney’s west, about 1pm on Saturday.
Jasmin Mhey, 30, was identified on Sunday evening as the missing woman before search teams found her body on Monday morning.
Her family released a statement following the heartbreaking discovery.
‘We would like to thank all of the emergency services personnel for their tireless efforts over the past few days,’ it read.
The family of a trainee nurse who was found dead after a townhouse exploded and injured multiple people have broken their silence
The massive blast occurred on the second level of the property on Waikanda Crescent in Whalan, in Sydney’s west, about 1pm on Saturday
‘We especially want to thank all the police officers, NSW Fire and Rescue personnel and NSW Ambulance paramedics.
‘The family is so appreciative of their support, kindness and assistance.
‘We’d also like to thank the public for their prayers and for respecting our privacy at this tragic time.’
The explosion was heard streets away and shattered the glass of neighbouring buildings. Five other people were treated at the scene by paramedics.
Ms Mhey’s distraught mother, Mercy, who has kept a vigil across the street with a close eye on the search effort, told neighbours she had reported the smell of gas in the building and in the street in recent months.
Neighbours described the moment she returned to the house.
‘She (the mother) was on her hands and knees screaming for her daughter,’ a neighbour said.
‘She wouldn’t leave, she sat here in the rain and cold all night saying she wasn’t going until her daughter was out’.
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell said heavy machinery and a large crane were used to help remove the rubble and locate Ms Mhey.
‘It was as a result of being able to lift those large portions of the slab and gain further entry into the previously restricted rooms within the apartment, that we were able to finally locate the missing person,’ Commissioner Fewtrell said.
Blacktown Police Area Command Superintendent Darren Newman told media on Monday Ms Mhey’s body was found in what was believed to be the kitchen area of the unit.
He added officers broke the heartbreaking news to Ms Mhey’s mother soon after emergency services made the tragic discovery.
‘As you can imagine, mum is devastated,’ Supt Newman said.
‘We will continue to provide the family with support through our family liaison network, and just making sure that she is looked after as best as we possibly can.’
Local woman Amy was in Waikanda Crescent soon after the explosion and saw Mercy returned from the shops to her daughter’s home and realise she was missing.
‘She kept dialling her daughter’s number, but there was nothing,’ Amy, told the Daily Telegraph.
‘Then she told the police her daughter was meant to be at Volcano’s steak restaurant at Wetherill Park … so the police rang there and they said she hadn’t turned up, so we knew she must be under there.’
Another resident Evelyn said she sat with Ms Mhey’s mother throughout the night and comforted her while she waited for news as emergency services searched for her daughter.
“She was soaking wet, so I got her a warm jumper and a blanket,’ Evelyn said.
‘She kept saying “my daughter’s strong, my daughter’s strong”, so I kept telling her to keep believing that and have faith in that.’
Police, along with Fire and Rescue and independent gas experts, have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the blast.
The investigation is ongoing and there is no further threat to any surrounding homes.
The blast, which was heard some 40km away, left six people hospitalised, destroyed several surrounding units and damaged other nearby homes.
Two women were rescued from the collapsed structure’s rubble – a woman in her 60s and another woman in her 70s who uses a wheelchair.
The two women were taken to hospital in St George and Hawkesbury but they have since been released.
Another 12 people from surrounding properties were evacuated, as the blast damaged nearby houses and apartment buildings.
Tributes have started to flow for Ms Mhey, with some leaving flowers at the scene of the horror town house explosion.
Bouquets of flowers were left at the high end of the street near the police tape that has cordoned off the area.
Early indications suggest the explosion may be the result of a gas leak, however the actual cause is yet to be officially determined.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk