FRIENDS and family are lighting candles and seeking spiritual healing for a site worker who has been fighting for his life after a 'gas explosion" in North Lanarkshire.
It was confirmed Courtney Clinton's 23-year-old colleague died in the blast at the Newmains Pastoral Centre that left several others injured as it shook homes in Newmains, near Wishaw.
Mr Clinton, 26, and his colleague, who were understood to have been clearing asbestos from the former convent building, were rushed to hospital with life threatening injuries after the explosion on Bonkle Road on Thursday.
It is believed four people were working in the premises at the time, two of whom were uninjured.
Now after the tragic news of the death emerged, friends and family have been lighting candles and posting pictures of them on social media to show support for Courney Clinton who remains in hospital in a serious condition.
His brother Ricky Clinton from Motherwell said that Courtney has been "fighting like a trooper" and encouraged people to "keep praying for him".
And later while posting pictures of his candle for Courtney, Mr Clinton who described his "wee brother" as "the bravest of the brave" said: "Heart of a lion. Keep fighting son. Love you so much."
Meanwhile Collette Currie was organising a "circle of healing" on Tuesday evening for her friend who is "still fighting in hospital".
"I know I have spiritual healers, Reiki healers and masters on my friends list and I am asking if we can all send healing at 8pm this evening [Tuesday] jointly which will be much more powerful than me on my own," she said.
Police investigating the blast with the assistance of the Health and Safety Executive say there are "no suspicious circumstances".
Homes were evacuated in the wake of the incident of the building which was being prepared for demolition.
Nearby properties were vacated following reports of a "strong smell of gas" in the area as a precautionary measure.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said at the time that there was a "small explosion" which resulted in a "small fire" in the building.
Two men received urgent medical treatment by trauma accident and emergency specialists with life-threatening injuries and were rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
SGN, formerly Scotland Gas Networks have said their engineers "made the situation safe "by turning off the gas supply to the building.
The disused building was formerly used as a retreat centre for the Diocese of Motherwell.
Locals talked of their houses shaking from the force of the blast at the building.
The explosion led to cordons being erected around the blast area where shards of glass could be seen on the road.
It was closed to traffic while gas investigators probe the cause of the explosion.
One local said: “I heard an enormous bang and thought it was a bomb. I looked out and saw a man, naked apart from something to cover his lower half.
“His skin was blistered. He looked like he’d been peppered by a shotgun. He had blood splattered over him.”
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