FED:Locals shocked by detention centre blast

AAP General News (Australia)
04-21-2011
FED:Locals shocked by detention centre blast

By Danielle McGrane

SYDNEY, April 21 AAP - A shocked neighbour says he was knocked off his feet by an explosion
that ripped through Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre.

At least three buildings were set alight in the protest, which began about 10pm (AEST)
on Wednesday and involved up to 100 detainees at the height of the drama.

When an oxygen tank was set on fire an explosion rocked the centre, shocking locals
who had gathered on their front lawns to watch the chaos unfold.

"It knocked me off my feet," said Steve Pollard, who lives directly across from the centre.

"I was in my front yard just after 2am (AEST) watching what was happening at the centre."

Another neighbour, Barry Jones, was sitting on his doorstep with his daughter when
the explosion went off.

"She ran in to her Mum when the explosion went off, she thought it was a gunshot," he told AAP.

"There's always protests here. Every Easter they have one ...

"You can never get to sleep, there are always sirens going off."

Locals gathered outside their homes on Thursday morning, shouting to each other over
the noise of the police helicopter circling overhead.

They said there had been rumblings at the centre for weeks.

"This started about two weeks ago when they brought in two coachloads of people," Mr
Pollard said, adding he was concerned about the impact the protests would have on real
estate.

"Can you imagine how the property prices have dropped here? As if they weren't bad before."

An elderly local, John O'Brien, was watching as the situation was brought under control
while on his morning walk on Thursday.

"You wouldn't leave your own country if you could live in it, and these people would
be dead if they stayed in their own country," he told AAP.

The smoke billowing from the centre was beginning to subside by 8am (AEST) on Thursday
morning but the road remained closed off to cars.

"If you manage to get out in your car it can be difficult to get back on to the road,
especially if the police officers have changed shift," Mr Pollard said.

AAP dmg/tr/apm

KEYWORD: DETAINEE NEIGHBOURS

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