The search operation for a woman, trapped in the rubble of her townhouse in Sydney’s west following an explosion, has continued overnight.
Rescue crews searched through the night for the woman in the collapsed townhouse complex on Waikanda Cres in Whalan, following the explosion just before 1pm on Saturday.
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The blast levelled most of the two-storey home, blowing out windows and damaging a neighbouring townhouse.
It was heard several suburbs away and destroyed a two-storey townhouse in the social housing complex for over 55s, causing “widespread damage” to neighbouring properties in the complex.
Five people were treated for minor injuries following the blast, including two women in their 60s and 70s, one of whom was in a wheelchair. A dog was also rescued from the ruins.
Three people were taken to Mount Druitt Hospital, while two others were taken to Hawkesbury District Health Service.
Searchers heard tapping from underneath the rubble, but 7NEWS understands this has stopped.
Fire & Rescue NSW are searching brick-by-brick through a targeted area, though they are being hampered by wet weather.
“We have a generalised area of where we’re searching for them and that’s based on the design of the building,“ Superintendent Ross Genders said.
“We know that it’s the back side of the building where the most rubble has collapsed and that is the generalised area where we’re searching now.”
The missing person was on the second floor of the building when it collapsed, Genders said.
Emergency services are yet to establish what caused the blast, which will be subject to a NSW Police investigation.
Police were initially called to reports of a gas explosion.
Gas mains were isolated at the property on Saturday so crews could safely step up their search and use concrete cutters to remove the debris.
– with AAP