A council worker has described how he rushed into the remains of a house to rescue a family after a devastating explosion there. Keith Morris fought his way through thick dust and debris to reach a mum who was trapped in the wreckage and guided her out before helping her into the arms of fellow rescuers.
He then returned into what was left of the building, in Clydach Road, Morriston, to look for her son who had been in a room upstairs, but fortunately the youngster had been helped to safety by others who had reached him from the side.
The Swansea Council highways supervisor then turned his attention to rescuing the family’s dog and after locating the pet forced its cage apart while another man pulled the animal out. Keith, who has worked in various roles for Swansea Council for the last 27 years, said he was acting on “autopilot”, but council leader Rob Stewart said Mr Morris and everyone else involved in Monday’s rescue had shown unimaginable bravery.
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Mr Morris was driving a council van just a few hundred yards from the properties when the blast happened on Monday, March 13. He said he heard a “mighty explosion” and “felt the shockwaves” before debris started falling around him blocking the road ahead.
“I pulled up outside and jumped out of my vehicle and I could hear shouting and screaming from inside,” he said. He forced the door open to get into the building.
“There was nothing but dust, just grey dust, and as I went into the house I could not see anything but I could hear her screaming,” he said. “I started pulling up boards and bricks and whatnot and eventually I saw a little arm come out of the debris. I helped her out but she was shouting ‘my son is upstairs’ but when I looked up there was no upstairs left.”
Keith went back into the house and attempted to climb what was left of the stair case but, realising it could collapse at any point turned around and ran back outside to reach the top from the side of property.
Thankfully, the teenager had already been helped by others but Keith then went back into the house a third time to search for the family’s dog. “I went back in because she had said about the puppy Alsatian and by this time there was definitely one person with me, possibly another,” he added.
“We were chucking stuff out of the way and I heard a voice saying ‘there he is, he is in a cage’. The cage was buried so I forced it open and he pulled the dog out.” You can read our interview with the dad of the teenager pulled from the wreckage here.
Reflecting on the incident Mr Morris offered his condolences to the family and friends of the 68-year-old man, Brian Davies who died in a neighbouring home.
He added: “When I first went into the house I was on autopilot. I did not know what I would find. I feel so sorry for them because they have been left with nothing – their house was destroyed. At that time I thought that their house was the end of the terrace, but I was told later that there was a neighbouring one but that had just gone.”
On Wednesday evening a member of the family contacted Keith to thank him for what he had done. He said: “For her to give me that thank-you meant the world to me.”
Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart said: “This was a devastating incident and my thoughts remain with all those affected. Since Monday’s tragedy I have been hearing of stories of immense bravery from people who were at the scene at the time and I’d like to thank Keith along with everyone else, including the emergency services, who reacted so quickly and bravely.
“As a council we have done everything we can to support those affected and will continue to do so for as long as is needed.”
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