Mr Indestructible

MIRACLE man . . . John and his wife Anne

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

House blast survivor tells of his miracle escape

“MR Indestructible” has described his incredible escape after being blasted through a wall by a massive gas explosion that destroyed his house.

John Allen is recovering from burns and grateful to be alive after being pulled from the rubble following the Christmas blast.

He has been labelled “Mr Indestructible” and “Miracle Man” after the extraordinary escape when hero neighbour Martina Maguire dragged him from the wreckage as his house in Byland Avenue, Roundthorn collapsed around him.

Window cleaner Tony Travis, who was knocked from his ladder by the blast, also helped.

John (44) said: “I can’t believe I survived. I have been down to the house a few times and thought ‘how you have got away from that I will never know.’ I think I’m the luckiest man walking the Earth. Getting out alive is worth more than winning the lottery.

“If it hadn’t blown me into the garden I would not have survived. I have never seen anything as bad as that in my life and I hope I never seen anything like it again.”

Fifty foot high flames raged after the explosion on December 23 and 18 firefighters battled it for hours.

John fought for his life before making quick progress and is still astonished to be alive after his release from hospital on Sunday.

He said: “As far as I can remember I was in the living room and then then next second I saw this massive blue flame coming from the fire.

“I was actually standing near the TV but before I realised it was too late and I could not run anywhere. It was less then a split second. The next minute I was outside.

“The only thing I remember is Martina dragging me and telling me to wake up. According to Martina, bricks were hitting me and were on top of me. The second Martina dragged me away the house collapsed.

“As soon as I looked around I thought ‘what has gone on.’ I was not with it at all. I think I was out of it for four to five days.

“My first reaction was to try and get back to save my cats. They were in the house and got blew out with the blast. Two neighbours held me back.”

Four of the cat lovers’ pets — Charlie, Lucky, Lu Lu and Sam — miraculously survived uninjured, but sadly his fifth cat Boo Boo died.

John has previously broken both legs in a fall and has suffered from a benign brain tumour for eight years.

The blast has left him with a scar on his face and burns to his hand, arms, legs and stomach and ihe is still traumatised.

He said: “I’m still trying to come to terms with what happened. The slightest noise and I’m quite on edge.”

Of his rescuers he said: “I would like to thank everyone who helped from the bottom of my heart. I have got some very special friends. I’d also like to give special thanks to the burns unit at Wythenshawe for everything they have done and Oldham Council for putting us in temporary accommodation.”

John’s wife Anne (53) was out delivering Christmas presents at the time, while his mum Patricia, wheelchair bound after a stroke, escaped as she was spending the day in a care home. The trio are hoping to be moved into a bungalow together.

Anne said: “It’s a miracle. He went through the wall and had not one broken bone. Whoever was on John’s side must have sent me away.

“I was in hysterics. I was screaming down the phone ‘where’s John? Where’s John?’ I’m still shaking now and can’t keep still. My stomach is still in knots.

“I was at his bedside every day. They told me he was a very poorly man when I got to hospital. They told me not to be frightened by his injuries. He looks a lot better now. I really thought I was going to lose him. I had to make him fight to live.”

The couple had lived in the council house for seven years and have lost everything, including a new 42inch TV they had saved to buy, precious photographs and the grandchildren’s Christmas presents.

Anne said: “I have never seen anything like it in my life, for a house to come down in seconds. It’s the worst thing I’ve seen. I was devastated. I stood there and totally broke down. I did not want to believe that everything had gone. Christmas and New Year was cancelled.

“We had to save up to buy everything and it was a struggle but we made the house beautiful. But I’m lucky to have John here.”

The cause is still under investigation.