Wheatley family finally home 30 months after explosion

Wheatley residents return The last residents displaced by the explosion in Wheatley are finally back home. CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco has details.

A happy smile radiated from Bugsy Lamb when he answered the knock on his door.

“We’re back home now," he said.

After being displaced from their forever home 30 months ago following an explosion in Wheatley, Bugsy and his wife Becky are finally home.

“Feels nice being in the house but it seems like it's not the house I left before,” Bugsy said.

It’s a big improvement at 48 Foster St. During a visit 23 months ago, CTV News Windsor captured an interior of a home infested with mold with a basement full of contaminated water.

Fast forward 31 months and the Lambs are grateful to be home.

“We're happy to be here but it doesn't feel real yet.” Becky said.

It's been a long road home for the Lambs, who were left with only the clothes on their backs following a blast just a block away from their home in downtown Wheatley in August 2021.

They've moved five times since. Becky said the time it took them longer to return home because they fought for what was healthy and fair.

“Getting this house back to the state where I would never have that smell again of sewage so basically we were fully gutted with just a shell,” Becky said.

Bugsy said it was a long road and is thankful his wife is strong willed.

“Appreciate the wife went through hell to get this place up and going," he said.

Walls were knocked down creating more space which helped the Lambs create a modern home with an open concept floor plan.

There is still a lot of work to do, especially in the basement, but Becky and Bugsy said they are up to the challenge.

“We've met people along the road like yourself and other people that have just helped us, supported us,” Becky said. “A lot of people from Wheatley have supported us. We couldn't be more grateful for all that.”

The experience of being away from home brought the couple closer together. They made new friends as well and were able to reconnect with old ones. Now they're home, and adjusting.

“We love it but we have to adjust and mentally adjust and physically adjust,” Becky said. “This is our new home but our old home was our home sweet home right.”