This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/devon/7907049.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Mother fought to save blast girl | Mother fought to save blast girl |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A mother pleaded with her nine-year-old daughter not to die after the girl was trapped by debris from a house blown apart in a gas explosion. | A mother pleaded with her nine-year-old daughter not to die after the girl was trapped by debris from a house blown apart in a gas explosion. |
| An inquest heard Stephanie Hammacott had been walking to school in Plymouth, Devon, when the blast happened in January 2008. | An inquest heard Stephanie Hammacott had been walking to school in Plymouth, Devon, when the blast happened in January 2008. |
| Her mother Carol had told her: "Be your usual stubborn self and fight". But Stephanie died later of her injuries. | Her mother Carol had told her: "Be your usual stubborn self and fight". But Stephanie died later of her injuries. |
| A build-up of gas in a pipe led to the explosion, the Plymouth inquest heard. | A build-up of gas in a pipe led to the explosion, the Plymouth inquest heard. |
| The only good thing is that Stephanie is living in heaven while I am still here and I don't know why I am Carol Hammacott Classroom assistant Mrs Hammacott had been taking Stephanie to a pre-school breakfast club when the blast happened, the hearing at the city's council house was told. | |
| As they passed a terraced house, just yards from their home in Bulteel Gardens, Plymouth, Stephanie said she could smell gas. | As they passed a terraced house, just yards from their home in Bulteel Gardens, Plymouth, Stephanie said she could smell gas. |
| Her last words were "What's that smell Mum?" | Her last words were "What's that smell Mum?" |
| Before her mother could answer they were both engulfed in the explosion which knocked out a wall of the house. | |
| A sobbing Mrs Hammacott, 39, told the inquest how she had tried to pull her daughter free from the rubble. | |
| The blast blew out a wall of the house | |
| But her efforts to keep her alive were in vain because Stephanie was already dying from her injuries, a pathologist said. | But her efforts to keep her alive were in vain because Stephanie was already dying from her injuries, a pathologist said. |
| Dr Gyan Fernando said she died from multiple injuries, including fractures to the skull, neck and limbs and ruptures to her liver, lungs and aorta. | Dr Gyan Fernando said she died from multiple injuries, including fractures to the skull, neck and limbs and ruptures to her liver, lungs and aorta. |
| Mrs Hammacott, who escaped with minor injuries, told the inquest: "The only good thing is that Stephanie is living in heaven while I am still here and I don't know why I am." | Mrs Hammacott, who escaped with minor injuries, told the inquest: "The only good thing is that Stephanie is living in heaven while I am still here and I don't know why I am." |
| A neighbour told the inquest he could not pull her free from the rubble because of the weight of concrete. | A neighbour told the inquest he could not pull her free from the rubble because of the weight of concrete. |
| 'Very pale' | 'Very pale' |
| Neighbour Liam Kellond said he ran to the scene of the explosion and could see Stephanie lying face down. | Neighbour Liam Kellond said he ran to the scene of the explosion and could see Stephanie lying face down. |
| He told the hearing: "I found she was stuck fast and the weight of the concrete was holding her down. As I tried to move her legs I could feel the burning. | He told the hearing: "I found she was stuck fast and the weight of the concrete was holding her down. As I tried to move her legs I could feel the burning. |
| "I could see she was very pale and I knew in my mind she was lifeless." | "I could see she was very pale and I knew in my mind she was lifeless." |
| Neither of the two elderly occupants of the house were injured. | Neither of the two elderly occupants of the house were injured. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service has ruled the death was an accident which could not have been prevented. | |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |