RESIDENTS who were forced from their homes following the Osney flat explosion may be able to return next week.

People in flats 3 to 14 in Gibbs Crescent have mostly been living in temporary accommodation since the Valentine’s Day blast, in which a block collapsed to flaming rubble.

Among them is partially-sighted Ian Francis, who said he and his partner were told by landlord A2Dominion they should be able to return next weekend with neighbours from two other flats.

The 48-year-old said: “They said they have to dig a trench to put new electrics in, then they expect us to be able to move back in.”

Oxford city councillor Susanna Pressel said she too had been told that people in flats 10, 12 and 14 might be back home by next weekend, though this had not been confirmed yet.

She said several residents were hesitant to return, however.

Mr Francis, who is currently living in Donnington, said: “If there is somebody else who wants our flat, let them have it - that’s how we feel. We just feel detached from it now.”

He said that was partly because he felt A2Dominion had initially failed to communicate properly with displaced residents, though he noted it had ‘started to get its act together’.

Flats 3, 5 and 7 were completely destroyed in the explosion and flats 9, 11 and 13 are set to be demolished after being deemed unsafe.

Mr Francis understood flats 4, 6 and 8 and houses 1 and 2 will also be demolished.