Woman found fatally stabbed in house after gas explosion

The 46-year-old was found fatally injured inside a house in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, north-east London, just before 5am on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police said. A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and has been taken to hospital to be treated for slash wounds.

The house, a terrace on the corner of Dumont Road, was surrounded by police, firefighters and gas workers (Lily Shanagher/PA)

Two children aged seven and nine were also taken to hospital as a precaution, but are not thought to have been inside the home when the explosion happened. Neighbours described the noise as the explosion tore through the house.

Teacher Alun Gordon said: "We just woke up to a massive bang ... my whole house shook, it felt like a truck had hit the house. "I then heard screams, someone shouting 'oh my God' several times, so I came outside and basically all the neighbours appeared in their pyjamas. "We quickly established that the children got out, that there'd been marital strife.

"My daughter babysat for her and we would chat to her as a neighbour. It's a massive tragedy for the street." A resident on Dumont Road said he heard a crash "like somebody dropped a massive glass cabinet from a crane".

We've been called to a suspected gas explosion on Dumont Road in #StokeNewington.

There are road closures on Stoke Newington Church Street from the junction of the A10 to Defoe Road. Kersley Road is completely shut. Motorists are advised to avoid the area. https://t.co/TQri7Byasi pic.twitter.com/pyJU5UrXBt [1][2][3]

-- London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) June 17, 2025 [4] The man, who did not want to be named, added: "I looked out and saw panes of glass on the floor. You could tell it wasn't a car window.

"Eventually I noticed the beam on the bay window was missing and could see some mild smoke coming out of the back. "People starting arriving and saying to phone the police. "There was a guy rushing around, very distraught.

He went round the back." Six fire engines and 40 firefighters were called to the scene early on Tuesday, where road closures remain in place. The house, a terrace on the corner of Dumont Road, was surrounded by police, firefighters and gas workers later in the morning.

Emergency services near the scene of the explosion (Lily Shanagher/PA)

The front bay window was completely blown out, with debris including plants, wooden shutters and glass scattered across the street.

A 76-year-old neighbour said: "I was asleep upstairs and heard a sudden bang then I saw from the curtain all the glass all on the floor. "I was worried. Everybody on the street came out in their pyjamas."

Another neighbour said: "I'm pretty sure it was two bangs I heard. There was lots of glass shattering. "I knew it wasn't a car crashing because it sounded like lots of glasses had been smashed on the floor."

The Metropolitan Police said there will be additional patrols in the area while the investigation continues. Matteo Prodava, a 35-year-old production designer who lives across from the house, said: "You hear these things that happen in the world, but when it happens on the next street, it has a different impact." Another resident in Kersley Road, near Dumont Road - who did not want to be named, said she was in shock.

She said: "That is so sad. I just want to cry. I have never heard of something like this happening here.

I am just in shock. "I feel sorry for the kids; what sort of news is this? We just thought we couldn't move the cars and there's been a gas explosion.

"Now, I don't know what to say."

Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting CAD 926/17June or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.

Woman found fatally stabbed in house after gas explosion

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