Screenshot from video posted to Facebook by Kandice Trickett.Screenshot from video posted to Facebook by Kandice Trickett.
London

Video shows moment of Old East explosion

A video taken by a surveillance camera has given Londoners a glimpse into what the explosion in Old East looked like from a distance.

The video was posted to Facebook by Kandice Trickett.

"Our view last night was absolutely terrifying. My neighbour just sent this to me, she realized her security cameras had been rolling the entire time," she wrote in the Facebook post. "It's the most intense footage I've seen. It really shows how massive and close the explosion really was." Warning: the following video contains swearing

The explosion on Wednesday night damaged several homes. As of Friday morning, the City of London said all but eight homes in the neighbourhood have been cleared for residents to return. Two homes on Charlotte Street were cleared to reenter Friday afternoon, while eight homes on Woodman Avenue are still considered unsafe.

Because of the damage, two homes have now been demolished and a third home that began smouldering Friday morning could be demolished, but a final decision has not yet been made.

“We have made significant progress since Wednesday’s explosion. The vast majority of residents are now safely back inside their homes and clean-up work in the surrounding areas continues. We recognize, however, this is just the first step in what will be a long period of recovery,” said Mayor Ed Holder in a statement released Friday morning. “The people of Old East Village have displayed tremendous resolve and compassion. This has been an extremely stressful and uncertain time for many, but Londoners have risen to the occasion to support their neighbours. I could not be more proud of that response. This community spirit must be sustained in the days and weeks ahead.”

The London Fire Department has estimated the total amount of the damage to be between $10 million and $15 million.

"As clean-up work continues and damages can be more fully assessed, this estimate will be refined," the city said late Friday afternoon.

A statement from the city also said that most of the pets in the neighbourhood that disappeared after the blast have been found.

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