A widower whose wife died in a gas explosion is trying to rebuild his life – alongside “superdog” Teddy who miraculously survived the blast.
John Burvill continued living in a static home on the site in Charing, near Ashford, after the explosion destroyed the bungalow he shared with his wife Charlane.
But he says he was “overwhelmed with grief” and the memories of the 20 years in the family home – and eventually made the difficult decision to move away.
Now, John has bought a house in Dymchurch on Romney Marsh, where he has relocated with poodle-terrier cross Teddy.
The 66-year-old told KentOnline: “I was overwhelmed with grief and the memories there, so I thought it was best to leave.
“I would pop back now and again to collect the post, but that was rather heart-wrenching.
“I am glad I have left and I am trying to start a new life.”
Mum-of-six Charlane, 60, suffered extensive burns after the blast ripped through the bungalow in September 2024.
She was airlifted to King’s College Hospital in London but, having suffered unsurvivable injuries with 95% of her body burnt, life support was withdrawn the following day.
The family dog Teddy was also inside the property when the explosion happened – but remarkably survived after being rescued.
“He was trapped in the rubble and had burnt his back paws trying to get out,” John said.
“They were burnt and scraped right down to the bone, and his tummy was burnt red raw.
“A firefighter got to him, rushed him to Harrietsham Veterinary Clinic, who were absolutely fantastic.”
Vets later gave Teddy a special nickname.
“They thought he wasn’t going to last the night,” said John.
“But they stayed with him and reckon he was a superdog, as they thought he wouldn’t survive.”
Now five-and-a-half, Teddy is keeping John company in his new home on the coast following his astonishing recovery.
“He is still running about and I take him for walks along the beach,” he added.
“We rescued him because the owners were going to put him down when he was 18 months old.
“They reckoned he was a bit vicious. He was a little snappy but he is lovely now. It was just the way he was brought up.”
At an inquest in November, Charlane’s cause of death was determined to be accidental – caused by a gas leak from a dislodged gas pipe, meant to be connected to a boiler.
John previously told KentOnline how his wife “held the family together”.
He lived in a static home on the site after the tragedy, but says the conditions were often freezing.
John got the green light from Ashford Borough Council to rebuild a four-bedroom home on the site last year and has now put the land on the market.
“By the time I got the planning permission, had vetted the builders and had them build the house, it could have been another 18 months or two years, so I couldn’t do it,” he said.
Although the retired mechanic still owns an MOT test centre, he has not returned to it, with his son, Terry, running the business instead.
“All that hard work over the years provided a roof for my family,” John added.
“All the kids have grown up and moved out, so I thought it wasn’t worth returning to.
“I am happy now. I am getting there.”
The inquest heard the explosion was believed to have been caused by a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) leak from a boiler pipe that had not been properly tightened.
It could not be determined how the pipe became detached, but it was believed a leak started about five hours before the explosion – with enough gas released to “fill the volume of the property”.
A spark or flame in the kitchen ignited the gas in the house, the inquest heard.
It was not, however, possible to determine whether Charlane switching on a light or lighting a cigarette sparked it – with both deemed likely triggers.
The 2.62-acre plot in Canterbury Road, Charing – partly surrounded by woodland and split across two titles – is now on the market for £700,000.
The former site of the bungalow now has full planning permission for a self-build replacement four-bedroom home, with a detached garage.
