6:39PM, Mon Jul 23, 2012

Runaway Dog Scared By Heaton Gas Blast Found Safe

By Ruth Holliday Location: Heaton

Mia the missing Labrador - have you seen her?

A Golden Labrador that went missing after running off from a park in Heaton when she was frightened by a major gas blast has been found safe and well.

Her owner, who does not wish to be named, was frantic and launched a Twitter campaign asking anyone who might have seen her to get in touch.

She said: "A man came forward who had picked Mia up on Saturday and he contacted the council on Monday.

"We want to thank everyone for their help and support in spreading the word."

Mia was being walked in Iris Brickfields park, just a few of streets away from Huntcliffe Gardens where a house exploded on Saturday July 21.

The suspected gas blast trapped retired bus driver Don Robertson under falling masonry. He suffered burns and a broken ankle.

Fire officers are praising the work of the emergency services who dealt with the explosion.

In a statement Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue said: "Fire crews arrived within a couple of minutes of the call and were met with a scene of utter devastation, with the complete collapse of a single storey property and extensive damage to adjoining properties.

"A total of five fire appliances and a special rescue tender, used in structural collapses, attended the incident.

"Firefighters quickly established that one casualty was trapped within the collapse under displaced masonry and the timber roof structure, and were able to provide an access route for North East Ambulance Service's paramedics and Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to determine the nature and extent of the casualty's injuries.

"Firefighters were then able to physically clear the bricks and roof structure from the casualty and assist medical crews to immobilise the casualty and remove him from the debris to a place of safety using a spinal board.

"Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service also had an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) advisor at the scene throughout the entire operation and specialist teams on standby to conduct a brick by brick displacement of the site should intelligence have indicated that more people were unaccounted for."

Group Manager Graham Smith, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: "Such successful joint working between emergency responders comes as a result of considerable training and emergency response exercises to prepare for such exceptional events."