Child killed in ‘devastating’ explosion

A YOUNG child has been killed in a “devastating” explosion which caused at least two houses to collapse and damaged several others.

Residents described the noise of the blast as “like a bomb going off”.

Lancashire Police said they were called to the scene of the explosion in Heysham at 2.40am yesterday after reports that “a number” of houses on Mallowdale Avenue had collapsed. The force later confirmed the death of a child and said four people had been injured, two seriously.

It is suspected the damage was caused by a gas blast.

Resident Susan Faulkner, 74, who lives further down Mallowdale Avenue, said the blast was “like a bomb going off” and that she was still “shaken” by the incident.

“I woke up with this huge bang and I thought someone was breaking into my house,” she said. “I’m still quite shaken by it.”

A Gofundme page set up to help Mallowdale Avenue residents had reached more than £20,000 yesterday.

Heather Brandwood, who manages a pub in Morecambe, set up the fundraiser and said it was “humbling” to see the community pull together. She said residents were queuing outside the pub to donate clothing and toiletries to evacuated residents.

DANNY LAWSON Emergency workers at the scene of a suspected gas explosion, in which a young child was killed and two people were seriously injured