MAN HURT IN GAS EXPLOSION

Reg Bishop was alone inside the first floor flat on Sunningdale Drive when the explosion occurred at 5pm on Saturday - blowing the entire back wall off the home.

He stumbled onto the street before being taken by ambulance to the Conquest Hospital with 30 per cent burns.

He was later transferred to the specialist burns unit of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London where he is expected to stay for four weeks.

Three neighbours escaped injury but have had to be rehomed by the Chichester Diocesan Housing Association.

But the remaining neighbours living in the block of four maisonettes and adjoining two three-bedroom houses are furious their families' lives were put at risk.

According to residents, Mr Bishop had threatened to blow himself up before.

Paula Mussell, 37, whose daughter, Danielle Pierce, cleaned Mr Bishop's house, said: "He was very depressed and a nervous wreck."

Danielle, 14, said: "He told me he was going to blow himself away. I didn't think he was serious. He was so sad."

One neighbour, Lesley Donnelly, 41, who was allowed home on Monday, said: "We could have been killed.

"I had been sitting on a bench in the back garden 10 minutes before with my 11-year-old daughter and her friends. Had we still been there when the explosion happened we would have been sent flying. I knocked on Reg's door to get him out afterwards."

Police received a call from a resident at 5pm on Saturday saying part of the building he was in had collapsed.

Children had been playing in the street at the time of the blast and one mother, Carol Willard, 49, said: "My kids suddenly came running into the house in hysterics saying there had been a big bang. They were so frightened."

As people spilled out onto the street the fire brigade arrived used two pump appliances, one turntable ladder, an HRU and operational rescue vehicle, to secure and evacuate the area before the building inspector arrived.

Leading firefighter from Bohemia fire station's White Watch, Andy Ling, said: "When we arrived the elderly gentleman was already outside with quite serious burns.

"Although there was no fire the damage to the building was extensive. The building looked like a dolls house when you take away one wall and can see inside."

Nigel Hammond, of Hastings Ambulance service, said: "The injured gentleman was conscious and breathing with superficial burns to his legs, arms and hands. We applied water gel, burns dressings, 100 per cent oxygen and gave him some intravenous pain relief before taking him to the Conquest Hospital."

Police blocked the quiet cul-de-sac to evacuate the remaining premises, cordoned off the area with police tape and began the investigation - only leaving the area on Monday afternoon.

On Tuesday police confirmed they are treating the incident as suspicious and are awaiting to speak with Mr Bishop - they are not looking for anybody else.

Investigating officer, DI Mark Ling, said: "Having examined the scene with engineers from Transco, the fire brigade and scenes of crime officers, we found no fault with the gas supply and no fault was discovered with any of the appliances.

"It is possible the gas had been left on, potentially by the occupant."