A huge gas explosion destroyed four homes on the Vossepad in Lepelstraat on 8 August last year. The confused resident of the house where the explosion took place was seriously injured. Due to the damage, all residents of the block had to leave their home with four houses. Anny van Overveld (81) is the only former resident who returned to her old house last week.
It takes some searching which key Anny needs to open the front door to the renovated hall. The new intercom system, with which the door opens, is also getting used to. But when the door finally swings open, Anny proudly shows the refurbished hall. “Everything is newly painted, there are new skirting boards, a new staircase, and it also smells like fresh paint,” says Anny with a big smile. She is happy and happy that after six months she can live in her familiar house again.
“Because of everything that happened, I still feel tension in my body.”
“Fortunately my house had little damage after the explosion, but I was not allowed to stay there. At the upstairs neighbor, where the explosion happened, the roof was broken and all the glass was spread from the living room window. That was even in my garden. There was damage in the hall. Everyone was very shocked,” says Anny.
The upstairs neighbor, who was in court in January, says he doesn’t remember anything about what happened. He was found on a chair at his stove after the explosion. Research showed that he had loosened the gas hose with a water pump squeeze and opened the gas tap wide.
“The upstairs neighbor will no longer live here, so new residents come in the three other houses in this block,” says Anny. “Because of everything that happened, I still feel tension in my body, so I have to follow therapies to relax a bit. My age of 81 also plays a role when something like that happens, according to the doctor. I always think I have no stress, but of course you have it.”
After the explosion, Anny lived at a campsite for six months. At that time, the four damaged houses were repaired and renovated.
“I will stay here until death and according to my children I will certainly be a hundred.”
“Refurbishing the damaged houses also lasted so long because at the same time a planned renovation of all homes on the Vossepad was initiated,” says Susanne van der Klundert from the Stadlander housing association. “The residents of the other destroyed houses have been given a house elsewhere, but Anny van Overveld wanted to return to her house on the Vossepad.” The renovation and sustainability of all sixteen homes in the street lasts until the end of April.
When Anny shows the rest of her house, she is happy again at every step she takes. “I have new radiators, new windows with double glazing, new floors, new wallpaper and the kitchen has also been refurbished. It has become a palace according to my children.” She hopes to be able to enjoy her refurbished palace for a long time. “I have always had a good time here and I have fought for nothing for nothing to come back. I will stay here until death, and according to my children I will certainly be a hundred. So that’s about twenty years,” Anny says laughing.
