BBC News
Family handoutA woman found stabbed after a gas explosion at her home has been named as a charity worker who supported refugees.
Annabel Rook, 46, was found fatally injured at a house in Dumont Road, Stoke Newington, north London, just before 05:00 BST.
She worked for a charity she co-founded called Mama Suze CIC, which supports refugee and migrant women, some who have fled domestic violence, with art and drama activities.
A 44-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder was taken with slash wounds to hospital, where his condition is not life-threatening, the Met Police said. The force believes Ms Rook’s death was “a domestic-related incident”.
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.
‘My whole house shook’
John Martin, who worked with Ms Rook for about a decade before she set up her charity, said the news of her death was “devastating”.
“She came to us a volunteer trainee interested in using drama and working with groups of trafficked women,” said Mr Martin, the artistic director of the charity Pan Intercultural Arts.
“She was a very lively, bubbly, enthusiastic person, full of confidence and a desire to make women’s lives better, especially those who have been through the hell of being trafficked.”
He added: “She certainly brought a lot of not just happiness but development in these women’s lives.”
PA MediaNeighbour Caroline Lacey told the BBC the house where the explosion happened was home to a family.
“It’s very, very sad… they’re a young couple, they’ve got young children, so it’s a shock… it’s tragic.”
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.”
He added: “My daughter babysat for her and we would chat to her as a neighbour. It’s a massive tragedy for the street.”
PA MediaOne resident said he heard a crash “like somebody dropped a massive glass cabinet from a crane”.
The man, who did not want to be named, added: “I looked out and saw panes of glass on the floor.
“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.”
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