Overview
- A powerful blast sent dense smoke and visible flames from the building's second floor and prompted a large emergency response from fire, police and medical crews.
- Firefighters rescued two people from the house and extinguished the blaze quickly, according to police reports.
- A 37-year-old suspected perpetrator was found a short distance away, treated briefly in hospital for minor injuries and taken into police custody.
- Police have opened a criminal investigation and a fire-cause specialist is due to examine the scene while the exact origin of the explosion and extent of property damage remain unknown.
- All residents were evacuated and the building has been declared temporarily uninhabitable pending a structural engineer's assessment, leaving families displaced until safety is confirmed.