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‘I was burning alive’: Window cleaner, 36, who lost everything in a gas blast says an angel rescued him from the rubble
- Agostinho Jesus, 36, was thrown across his Sheffield street in the explosion
- Father-of-one suffered burns to his hands and head but says his survival is 'a miracle'
- Firefighters believe the blast that destroyed his £60,000 home was caused by a gas leak
By HARRIET ARKELL PUBLISHED: 12:08 GMT, 6 June 2013 | UPDATED: 13:28 GMT, 6 June 2013
Agostinho Jesus, 36, was thrown across the street and burnt when his Sheffield house was destroyed by a suspected gas explosion last week
A window cleaner has told how he was thrown across the street after his house exploded as he left for work. Agostinho Jesus, 36, was injured when a gas explosion ripped through the terraced property, throwing him and the entire front of his house across the street last Wednesday morning. The Portuguese father of one suffered burns to his head and hands, and his entire house in the Sheffield suburb of Tinsley was destroyed.
Mr Jesus, who moved to the UK 16 years ago, said that after he flicked the light switch there was 'a massive bang' and he was thrown six feet away from his house.He said: 'I was basically thrown away from my house along with the front wall.'I was on the ground surrounded by fire and the first thing I thought I was burning alive.'He added: 'Obviously I was burning alive but then I felt someone grab me by my arms and they pulled me into the other side of the road and sat me down.'As I was being lifted all I could see were white clothes but and then when I looked around I couldn't see a soul on the street.
'To me it was angel, he saved me. I do believe in God and am a very strong Catholic myself - to me I do believe it was someone sent from God to save me, it wasn't my time.' Mr Jesus' £60,000 mid-terrace house was left a pile of burning rubble after the explosion which left a woman and two children in nearby properties suffering from smoke inhalation. Residents were evacuated and firefighters set up a 500ft cordon around the scene after the 9am blast.
Mr Jesus' terraced house in Tinsley was completely destroyed by the explosion and subsequent fire
Mr Jesus said his house exploded when he switched off the lights as he prepared to leave for work
Mr Jesus, who has an eight-year-old son, Miguel, and is engaged to Monica Zywicka, 40, said it was 'miraculous' that he survived the blast that demolished his house.
He said: 'I'm alive and the whole house is all destroyed. Its just unbelievable.'If you look at where I landed about two metres away, all the bricks from the wall of the house were surrounding me and not even one was touching me, it was like someone put a shield over me.'His son was at school when the explosion happened but his blue and yellow bedroom walls can be clearly seen in the wreckage.Mr Jesus said: 'Thank God he wasn't there when it happened.'
He was taken to hospital and treated for burns, bruises, and a cut to his head, and has been told if his left hand doesn't heal properly he may need an operation on it.
Father-of-one Jesus Agostinho suffered burns to his hands and head in the blast that destroyed his home
He said: 'Basically the explosion burnt all my face, it burnt all my hair off my head, and my ears and neck are burnt.'The biggest problem the self-employed window-cleaner faces is the fact that his house, which he owned outright, was not insured.Mr Jesus' work van which was parked outside the house was also destroyed. 'I lost everything, all my belongings, apart from the clothes I was wearing and they were cut off me at the hospital,' he said.
Mr Jesus' £60,000 terraced house, which he owned outright and had lived in for a year, was not insured
Mr Jesus, left with fiancee Monica Zywicka, 40, has been living with her since his house was blown apart
'I am really hoping that somebody might come forward and try to help, I'm not the kind of person that like to ask for anything but my whole life was in that house.'He is now living with his fiancee, Miss Zywicka, and she has bought him clothes. The mid-terrace property in Sheffield was destroyed in the blast and the two adjoining houses badly damaged.Police say they have not yet ruled out criminal activity.
Agostinho Jesus, 36, was thrown across the street and burnt when his Sheffield house was destroyed by a suspected gas explosion last week
A window cleaner has told how he was thrown across the street after his house exploded as he left for work. Agostinho Jesus, 36, was injured when a gas explosion ripped through the terraced property, throwing him and the entire front of his house across the street last Wednesday morning. The Portuguese father of one suffered burns to his head and hands, and his entire house in the Sheffield suburb of Tinsley was destroyed.
Mr Jesus, who moved to the UK 16 years ago, said that after he flicked the light switch there was 'a massive bang' and he was thrown six feet away from his house.He said: 'I was basically thrown away from my house along with the front wall.'I was on the ground surrounded by fire and the first thing I thought I was burning alive.'He added: 'Obviously I was burning alive but then I felt someone grab me by my arms and they pulled me into the other side of the road and sat me down.'As I was being lifted all I could see were white clothes but and then when I looked around I couldn't see a soul on the street.
'To me it was angel, he saved me. I do believe in God and am a very strong Catholic myself - to me I do believe it was someone sent from God to save me, it wasn't my time.' Mr Jesus' £60,000 mid-terrace house was left a pile of burning rubble after the explosion which left a woman and two children in nearby properties suffering from smoke inhalation. Residents were evacuated and firefighters set up a 500ft cordon around the scene after the 9am blast.
Mr Jesus' terraced house in Tinsley was completely destroyed by the explosion and subsequent fire
Mr Jesus said his house exploded when he switched off the lights as he prepared to leave for work
Mr Jesus, who has an eight-year-old son, Miguel, and is engaged to Monica Zywicka, 40, said it was 'miraculous' that he survived the blast that demolished his house.
He said: 'I'm alive and the whole house is all destroyed. Its just unbelievable.'If you look at where I landed about two metres away, all the bricks from the wall of the house were surrounding me and not even one was touching me, it was like someone put a shield over me.'His son was at school when the explosion happened but his blue and yellow bedroom walls can be clearly seen in the wreckage.Mr Jesus said: 'Thank God he wasn't there when it happened.'
He was taken to hospital and treated for burns, bruises, and a cut to his head, and has been told if his left hand doesn't heal properly he may need an operation on it.
Father-of-one Jesus Agostinho suffered burns to his hands and head in the blast that destroyed his home
He said: 'Basically the explosion burnt all my face, it burnt all my hair off my head, and my ears and neck are burnt.'The biggest problem the self-employed window-cleaner faces is the fact that his house, which he owned outright, was not insured.Mr Jesus' work van which was parked outside the house was also destroyed. 'I lost everything, all my belongings, apart from the clothes I was wearing and they were cut off me at the hospital,' he said.
Mr Jesus' £60,000 terraced house, which he owned outright and had lived in for a year, was not insured
Mr Jesus, left with fiancee Monica Zywicka, 40, has been living with her since his house was blown apart
'I am really hoping that somebody might come forward and try to help, I'm not the kind of person that like to ask for anything but my whole life was in that house.'He is now living with his fiancee, Miss Zywicka, and she has bought him clothes. The mid-terrace property in Sheffield was destroyed in the blast and the two adjoining houses badly damaged.Police say they have not yet ruled out criminal activity.
