Body of Missing Man at NSW Explosion Site Found, Mother & Child Still Missing

Fire-fighters found the previously unidentified man in rubble of the collapsed building in Rozelle. However, he was already dead when the fire-fighters reached him.

It was Chris Noble, a 30-year-old man, who was earlier unidentified while the other two people missing in the blast were Bianka O'Brien, 31-year-old and Jude, her one-year-old son. Noble was a neighbour of O'Brien. There is a slim chance of finding the mother and the child at the moment. More than 24 hours have passed since the explosion shook the convenience store at the Darling Street last Thursday, Sept. 4 at around 4:30 in the morning. So far, rescuers have not managed to hear any audible sign of life from the debris.

O'Brien's husband, John, was not at home when the explosion took place. He came to the scene on Thursday morning and seemed distressed. He was seen being consoled by friends. He earlier last saw his wife and child asleep when he left for work at 3 o'clock. John's apartment was above the convenience store. He works at a Sydney hospital as a shift worker. He returned home as he heard the explosion. His wife and child turned out to be among the three people missing in the blast.

The task of the rescuers earlier became difficult as they were not able to enter the building due to the dangerous condition of the walls. Rescuers were not in a position to look for the missing people as the walls in the buildings have every possibility to collapse. An Urban Search and Rescue task force was deployed at Darling Street. The task force was trying to chalk out a plan to use the walls of the buildings around the collapsed one for the search. The rescue team - made up of hazardous material technicians, ambulance specialists and trauma doctors among rescuers - used cameras to find out if there was any sign of life inside the rubble.

NSW Police issued an official statement stating that the condition of the missing mother and child was still not known. "It is yet to be determined whether or not they are still inside the building", the Friday statement said". According to NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Paul Johnstone, it may be unlikely to find those two alive.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au