A family home destroyed by a gas explosion that injured a mother and her two children has been rebuilt for £50,000 by friendly neighbors – after discovering the property was uninsured.
Jessica Williams, 34, was seriously ill after the blast, and her sons Reuben, eight, and Elliot, five, were also injured in the accident that turned their home into a bomb site.
Mrs. Williams survived, but when she awoke from a coma, she discovered that the house at Seven Sisters in Neath, Wales, had no home insurance.
A massive campaign was launched by the community to help rebuild the family home, with even complete strangers volunteering to help. Now, three years after the accident, the family has a brand new home.
Mrs Williams said: ‘Our house had to be completely rebuilt after being reduced to little more than a pile of rubble. We couldn’t have done this without so many great people.
Before and after: The destroyed house, left, and the new building that replaces it, seen on the right
Jessica Williams with partner Mike outside their rebuilt home thanks to residents
Jessica Williams with partner Mike and Reuben Elliot before the explosion that destroyed the house
A pregnant Jessica Williams with her partner Mike before the explosion destroyed the house
“We have been overwhelmed by the kindness of our community and by complete strangers who have given their time and money completely free.
“When I think back to that horrible day three years ago, I know how lucky we are to be alive. It feels so incredibly emotional to know that we are finally going to live in our house again.’
The family survived the explosion in their home when they were pulled from the rubble by neighbors in June 2020.
Mrs. Williams was trapped under a large American fridge as she heard her boys scream for help.
South Wales Police concluded that the explosion was most likely caused by a ‘combination of aging liquid pressure gas and environmental conditions’.
Now the house has been reduced in size thanks to volunteers who offered labor, donations and their time – and the family is expected to be back home by Christmas.
The family’s home on the day of the explosion in June 2020, which completely destroyed the building and injured the mother and two sons
Jessica and Mike are pictured in their rebuilt home, happy to be back inside
Jessica Williams is pictured in hospital recovering from the explosion after waking up from a coma
Jessica Williams inside the house before the gas explosion ripped through the house in Wales
Mrs Williams said: ‘Our boys are really excited about decorating their bedrooms. Elliot is football mad. He supports Arsenal and wants his room decorated with lots of Cristiano Ronaldo stuff. That football player is his hero.
“Reuben absolutely loves his Xbox and wants his bedroom to have a gaming theme.
“All I want are my candles and TV and a big warm blanket over me to make me feel at home again.
“Elliot was only one when the explosion happened, so luckily he can’t remember much about it, but Reuben was five and he remembers everything and he’s nervous and still suffering from anxiety.”
Ms Williams was rushed to Morriston Hospital in Swansea after being rescued by neighbors before being put into an induced coma.
She spent fourteen weeks in hospital and was treated for a punctured lung, broken ribs and failing kidneys.
She also suffered severe burns to 70 percent of her body and was unable to speak, swallow or eat.
Sons Reuben and Elliot were airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, where they were treated for serious injuries for three weeks.
Pictured here is Jessica Williams in hospital, recovering from the blast, her limbs covered in bandages
Jessica added, “There are no words to truly understand how grateful we are to all the people who made it possible for us. I want to thank them all from the bottom of my heart.’
Jessica Williams proudly poses in her home before the devastating explosion goes off
Ms Williams’ 37-year-old fiancée spent his time traveling between the two hospitals to visit Jessica and the boys.
She said, “Plus, we didn’t have home insurance.
“We canceled the policy because Michael said we had overpaid and we could get a better deal. But we hadn’t gotten around to setting it up yet.
“We had lost absolutely everything we owned materially.
“I thought about the sentimental things we would never get back. The memory boxes I made for the kids of their birth stuff, their first pictures and they lost all their toys.
‘But we live and are here. It’s a miracle we’re still alive and the house is back.
“When you look at the state the house was in and you think we all survived it, it’s really just a miracle. I’m just thankful we’re all here.
“The people around here save our lives and rebuild our lives for us through sheer kindness. It’s so overwhelming.’
She added, “Michael has been an absolute rock to all of us. He was really great. It was horrible for him too, rushing between two hospitals 80 miles apart, wondering if we’d make it.’
Ms. Williams is now back to work as a kindergarten teacher at the same school her boys attended.
She said, “I wondered if our house would ever be rebuilt, but here we are.
“The worst thing that ever happened to us showed us what wonderful people exist. It has completely changed my outlook on life.
“I appreciate life’s little pleasures so much more now: a good cup of coffee, a walk in the park, watching a sunset.
“I recently ran for 20 minutes and thought back to three years ago when I couldn’t even walk. It makes me realize how far I’ve come.
“Our physical scars are healing well, but the emotional scars will take longer. I still have to moisturize my scars every day. The boys have had surgeries and may need more in the future as they grow up, but for now all is well.
“There are no words to truly understand how grateful we are to all the people who made this possible for us. I want to thank them all from the bottom of my heart.’
One of those who helped, local builder Huw, sifted through tons of rubble to salvage personal belongings.
“It took us two to three weeks a year because we were quietly trying to save everything,” Huw said. “It’s not about getting paid or not, it’s about getting their memories back.”