A GAS-CYLINDER explosion in the early hours of Saturday has left one man critically injured and a family displaced after their home at Lot 102 Pineapple Street, East Ruimveldt, was severely damaged.
The incident occurred at approximately 02:30hrs when 32-year-old Melissa Alleyne reportedly awoke to a strong smell of gas and alerted her husband, Troy Alleyne, 56, to investigate.
Moments later, a loud explosion ripped through the upper flat of the two-storey building, causing part of the structure to collapse.
Troy Alleyne sustained severe burns and other injuries. He was pulled from the debris and rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Reports indicate that Melissa Alleyne and the couple’s two children, ages two and 10, were in another section of the house at the time of the blast and managed to escape unharmed. The lower flat of the building, which was occupied by tenants, was also affected, with the structure sustaining extensive damage.
In the immediate aftermath, Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, visited the scene and engaged the displaced occupants, outlining measures being put in place to provide relief and temporary accommodation.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, who is currently out of town confirmed that coordinated assistance is being mobilised.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the explosion, even as government agencies move to stabilise the situation and support the affected family.
