Building owners tell of explosion 'horror'

Two brothers who were hoping to turn a former gym supply shop into an Indian restaurant which was destroyed in a gas explosion today said they had no idea how it happened. [caption id="attachment_83331" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="The damage in the Shrewsbury Hotel car park. Picture by Ian Sheppard."][/caption] Two brothers who were hoping to turn a former gym supply shop into an Indian restaurant which was destroyed in a gas explosion today said they had no idea how it happened. Bokul Miah and his brother Mashuk were relocating their Kasturi 2 restaurant from Claremont Bank to the premises in Bridge Street. They said no work had been carried out at the site over Christmas and said they were still weeks away from having gas installed there. It came as the owner of a flat above the shop unit, which was at the centre of the explosion which injured 12 people and caused it to collapse, today spoke of his horror, and another family faced another night away from home after their shop was damaged. Nineteen-year-olds Sam Devine-Turner and Sarah Pearse, in addition to Scott Godbold and Angharad Davies, are all being treated for burns at Selly Oak Hospital. Kiley McDonnell, who was starring in the Peter Pan pantomime at Theatre Severn as the character Jovial Jake was also injured and is being treated for spinal injuries at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The old K2 Indian restaurant closed in September and has since reopened as Claremont Indian Cuisine and is run by a different business. The Miah brothers said the opening of the new K2 had been postponed because they were on a waiting list for gas to be supplied to the site. More on next page [caption id="attachment_83332" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Personal effects left lying in the wreckage. Picture by Ian Sheppard."][/caption] Bokul Miah said there was no gas supply to the shop or canisters inside when the explosion occurred on Sunday. He said: "I was actually in shock when I heard about it because I didn't really expect something like that to happen. "We took over the building a few months ago but we are only six or seven weeks into a 12 week wait with Transco and the National Grid to have gas installed because we have no gas to the property. "My builders also haven't been working in the property for the last 10 days or so because of Christmas and the New Year. Mashuk Miah said work on connecting the gas supply was due to take place on Valentine's Day by the firm Fulcrum. He said: "I wanted to open the restaurant earlier but that's the earliest they said they could do it. "There was no gas at the site and the electricity was off too. "The only part of our building that's gone is the part that is underneath the upstairs flats. The insurance people have got to assess it but it looks as though we may need to rebuild it all." Meanwhile Tom Shukers, owner of building firm Shukers, which is carrying out renovation at the shop said they had stopped before Christmas and were due to return to the site to resume work yesterday morning. More on next page [caption id="attachment_83333" align="aligncenter" width="314" caption="The view from the footpath along the River Severn. Picture by Mark Booth"][/caption] Mr Shukers said: "We were due to go back there yesterday. Just imagine if they were in there, it could have been an absolute tragedy for us." Speaking from a holiday in France, Adam Smith, who owns the first floor flat that a woman was thrown from during Sunday's blast in Bridge Street, said he was "distressed" by the incident. Mr Smith, who lives in Belle Vue, said: "My only concern is the condition of the tenants and my thoughts and best wishes go out to everyone who has been hurt in the incident." Mr Smith said there was no gas line or appliances in the flat. "There is no gas in there, so I don't know how it has happened, the flat only has electric, but all I can think about is the health of the tenants and I really hope they are OK." Mr Smith added that he was shocked when he was given the news. "The whole thing is so distressing and I just couldn't believe what I was hearing when the news came through," he said. "You don't expect to hear something like this in Shrewsbury and it is even more surreal when it is something you are involved with. It sounds as if it is completely destroyed but like I said the only concern I have is peoples' health and safety and I am keeping my fingers crossed they will make full recoveries." More on next page