Gas blast which left toddler, 2, dead was caused by severed pipe next door, cops say

A GAS blast which left a toddler dead was caused by a severed pipe in the house next-door, police have said. Darren and Sharon Greenham are fighting for their lives after the explosion that killed two-year-old neighbour George Hinds. George’s parents Stephen, 41, and Vicki, 42, were also injured in the blast that blew apart […]

A GAS blast which left a toddler dead was caused by a severed pipe in the house next-door, police have said.

Darren and Sharon Greenham are fighting for their lives after the explosion that killed two-year-old neighbour George Hinds.

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A gas blast which left a toddler dead was caused by a severed pipe in the house next-door, police have said[/caption]

George’s parents Stephen, 41, and Vicki, 42, were also injured in the blast that blew apart the adjoining terraced homes.

Former landscape gardener Darren, 44, and wife Sharon, 50, a mum of four, were pulled out of the rubble. They remain in hospital with critical injuries.

Police have launched a criminal investigation after establishing that the cause of the blast in Heysham, Lancs, in the early hours of Sunday May 16 was a cut gas pipe.

George’s father Stephen posted heartbreaking footage on Facebook of his son reading a book about animals, next to the caption: “My little boy”.

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He wrote (sic): “Words can’t describe what the last week has done to me and Vicki.

“The tears haven’t stopped. At 5.15am Sunday morning my little boy was pronounced dead after two hours 15 minutes trying to bring him back.

“Nothing I can say or do will bring him back, I really wish I could. Why didn’t it happen to me and keep him playing here with his mum?

“Every day this week has been a new challenge and to go from seeing my two-year-old beautiful boy from playing in the garden, to a week later planning his funeral in his new 3ft bed, is unreal.

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Police have launched a criminal investigation after establishing that the cause of the blast in Heysham, Lancs, was a cut gas pipe[/caption]

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“Please everyone don’t take life for granted and look after your kids and yourselves. I really mean that.

“My little angel George sleep tight son, mummy and daddy is with you always. Love you so so so so much x.”

The Lancashire Police investigation is ongoing.

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The Lancashire Police investigation is ongoing[/caption]