Man knocked unconscious after gas explosion blows out wall of western Sydney apartment

A man has been rushed to hospital after a powerful gas explosion tore through the second floor of a unit block in Sydney’s west, destroying a brick wall and sending debris crashing onto a car. Now shocking vision of the aftermath has landed.

A gas explosion tore through an apartment block in Sydney's west on Friday morning. Picture: TNV

A man has been hospitalised after a gas explosion ripped through an apartment complex in Sydney’s west, blowing out a brick wall and causing significant damage to the building.

Emergency services were called to the three-storey unit block on Clarence St in Lidcombe on Thursday about 6.30am after the second-floor blast rocked the complex and sent shockwaves through neighbouring properties.

Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said the impact of the explosion was severe, but firefighters believe the building is structurally sound.

“We’ve had an explosion on the second level of a three-level unit complex,” he told the Today Show.

“A double or triple brick wall has literally been blown out of the building.

The second-floor blast rocked the complex and sent shockwaves through the area. Picture: TNV

More than 40 residents were evacuated. Picture: Savannah Pocock

“A lot of rubble has come down and it’s destroyed a car underneath.”

Fire crews conducted a rapid search of the building, where they found one man semiconscious at the scene.

A car damaged by the explosion’s debris. Picture: Rachana Khadka

Despite the explosion, firefighters believe the building is structurally sound. Picture: TNV

The 66-year-old man was carried out and treated by paramedics before being transported to hospital and is now in a stable condition.

Authorities told residents they may need to temporarily stay at Berala Community Centre while police investigate the cause of the explosion.

Rachana Khadka resides in the apartment diagonally below the impacted area and told the publication she was woken by the blast.

“It sounded like a bomb and I could smell gases. I struggled to get out of my apartment, I was so scared,” she said.

A western Sydney gas explosion took out a chunk of an apartment building and resulted in a man being injured on 13 June, 2025. Picture: Savannah Pocock

Emergency services responding at the scene. Picture: Rachana Khadka

Ms Khadka’s partner Bishal Poudel, who was out when the incident occurred, said he received three missed calls from his wife and expressed he did not want to stay at the community centre.

Police were unable to confirm if the incident is being treated as suspicious.

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Originally published as Man knocked unconscious after gas explosion blows out wall of western Sydney apartment