Police say it's a miracle that no one died in Friday's gas explosion in Christchurch.
Despite police efforts to reassure residents that gas in the area is safe, a number of residents are not consoled - and no longer want to live there.
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Residents from around Marble Court are returning to their homes, still shaken by Friday's explosion.
"The children must be feeling absolutely traumatised, from earthquakes to this," Northwood resident Faye McGill told Newshub.
The deafening noise of the blast was unlike anything locals had ever heard.
"Initially I thought a plane had come down," says McGill.
McGill's home was one of the many properties damaged by the gas explosion. One house was completely ripped apart by the blast.
"It rained glass and shingle through the house," she says.
So far, five homes have been written off as uninhabitable - and that number could rise.
"That's obviously a question for the engineers. The engineers are still working through those other properties," says Canterbury Metro Commander, Superintendent Lane Todd.
A large number of the Marble Court cordons have come down on Monday. Although many residents are now allowed to access their homes, a number of locals never want to live in the neighbourhood again due to the traumatic experience - and anxiety over the gas.
The McGill's have received a reassuring visit from the gas supplier.
"I said, I'm not turning anything on. So he turned it on, and then he sat with me and said all your appliances have safety valves."
Police want to reassure the community that it is safe.
"The gas company, or the supplier, has done extensive testing in the wider community plus other houses. We are satisfied that there's no other safety issues," says Todd.
Everyone is astounded that no one was killed in the blast.
"When you look at the footage, that is a miracle," says Todd.
Investigations into what caused the explosion will take another day as police keep watch over the scene.
Newshub.
