Christchurch explosion: Investigations underway, neighbours still unable to go home

Dozens of people in Christchurch are unable to return home following Friday's large gas explosion.

Police say a scene examination around the decimated home in Marble Ct in Northwood is underway.

The blast injured six. one of whom is in a critical condition.

A second person has been transferred to Auckland's Middlemore Hospital in a stable condition, three others are stable, and one has been discharged.

Officers are patrolling the cordoned-off area around the 12 unsafe properties. 

Affected residents are staying at the Styx Mill Country Club.

"They all have to be escorted still to the houses in the cordon," said club manager Tom White. "So it's quite a slow process getting these people in there - the tradespeople and police are very carefully vetting them all.

"It's been a quiet night for them, but now the builders are coming in." 

Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and WorkSafe investigators are looking into what happened. 

Just the day before, a gas contractor had been working at the property. He's made himself known to police, NZME reported, and is said to be "devastated" by what happened.

Newshub.