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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
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| Inquiry after girl's blast death | Inquiry after girl's blast death |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Investigators are trying to establish the cause of a gas explosion at a house in Devon that left a nine-year-old girl dead and four other people injured. | Investigators are trying to establish the cause of a gas explosion at a house in Devon that left a nine-year-old girl dead and four other people injured. |
| Stephanie Hammacott was fatally injured when a wall blew out as she walked past the house in Southway in Plymouth. | Stephanie Hammacott was fatally injured when a wall blew out as she walked past the house in Southway in Plymouth. |
| Police officers have now confirmed asbestos is present at the scene which is making the operation more hazardous. | Police officers have now confirmed asbestos is present at the scene which is making the operation more hazardous. |
| Stephanie died in hospital after the explosion, which destroyed the house at about 0800 GMT on Tuesday. | Stephanie died in hospital after the explosion, which destroyed the house at about 0800 GMT on Tuesday. |
| 'Still smouldering' | 'Still smouldering' |
| "Clearly one of problems we've got is the unstable nature of the building," said group commander Malcolm Carmichael from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue. | "Clearly one of problems we've got is the unstable nature of the building," said group commander Malcolm Carmichael from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue. |
| "We are going to have to work our way very carefully through that without disturbing too much of the evidence which would hamper the investigation. | "We are going to have to work our way very carefully through that without disturbing too much of the evidence which would hamper the investigation. |
| "We've still got a smouldering building and a thorough investigation to complete." | "We've still got a smouldering building and a thorough investigation to complete." |
| He said the house had been "almost completely destroyed" by the blast. | He said the house had been "almost completely destroyed" by the blast. |
| Two occupants of the Bulteel Gardens house suffered smoke inhalation and one of them, an elderly woman, is believed to still be in the city's Derriford Hospital. | Two occupants of the Bulteel Gardens house suffered smoke inhalation and one of them, an elderly woman, is believed to still be in the city's Derriford Hospital. |
| Rubble from the house was blown up to 15m Firefighters at scene | Rubble from the house was blown up to 15m Firefighters at scene |
| A passer-by was also slightly injured in the explosion. | |
| Stephanie was on her way to breakfast club at Southway Primary School with her mother when the wall blew out, trapping her under the rubble. | Stephanie was on her way to breakfast club at Southway Primary School with her mother when the wall blew out, trapping her under the rubble. |
| Her 38-year-old mother received minor injuries. | Her 38-year-old mother received minor injuries. |
| Eyewitnesses spoke of flames leaping into the air and smoke billowing across the area, where rubble from the blast was strewn up to 50ft (15m) away. | Eyewitnesses spoke of flames leaping into the air and smoke billowing across the area, where rubble from the blast was strewn up to 50ft (15m) away. |
| People living in 12 houses in the surrounding area were not allowed to go back to their homes overnight. | People living in 12 houses in the surrounding area were not allowed to go back to their homes overnight. |
| The houses have been boarded up and the residents were offered alternative accommodation. | The houses have been boarded up and the residents were offered alternative accommodation. |
| The house was on fire for some time after the explosion | The house was on fire for some time after the explosion |
| They will only be allowed home once the fire service and gas company have given the all-clear. | They will only be allowed home once the fire service and gas company have given the all-clear. |
| Police said gas detection equipment was at the scene and the area was under constant monitoring. | Police said gas detection equipment was at the scene and the area was under constant monitoring. |
| Officers said they had been told people could smell gas in the area prior to the explosion. | Officers said they had been told people could smell gas in the area prior to the explosion. |
| Counsellors from the council's Education Psychology Service were at Stephanie's school all day on Tuesday offering their support, along with parent support advisers. | Counsellors from the council's Education Psychology Service were at Stephanie's school all day on Tuesday offering their support, along with parent support advisers. |
| The school's headteacher Mark Lees said Stephanie, who had been at the school since she aged three, was a "delightful" girl. | The school's headteacher Mark Lees said Stephanie, who had been at the school since she aged three, was a "delightful" girl. |
| "We are all in shock. She was an absolutely delightful girl, she cared for people and worked hard and will be greatly missed." | "We are all in shock. She was an absolutely delightful girl, she cared for people and worked hard and will be greatly missed." |
| Plymouth City Council said the house was one of its properties and confirmed the property had undergone a problem-free maintenance check in June. | Plymouth City Council said the house was one of its properties and confirmed the property had undergone a problem-free maintenance check in June. |
| Wales and West Utilities said an investigation into the explosion's cause was under way with emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive. | Wales and West Utilities said an investigation into the explosion's cause was under way with emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive. |