Yahoo Finance Victim of Lancashire 'gas explosion' named as two-year-old
The devastated parents of a two-year-old boy who was killed in a suspected gas explosion have paid tribute to their "beautiful little angel".
George Arthur Hinds, aged two years and 10 months, was killed when a blast ripped through his home as he slept at around 2.40am on Sunday in Heysham, Lancs.
His parents, Vicky Studholme and Stephen Hinds, were hurt in the collapse but survived, along with two other people who were said to have suffered critical injuries.
Two neighbouring houses were obliterated by the explosion on Mallowdale Avenue, while another was said to have been badly damaged.
The force of the blast was so colossal that it was heard from miles away.
On Sunday afternoon, George’s parents released a heart-wrenching tribute to the little boy, along with two pictures of him in which he is smiling cheekily at the camera.
Their tribute, issued by Lancashire Police, said: “We are devastated at the loss of our beautiful George.
“He was so precious to us. We have no words to describe how we feel and just want time to ourselves to come to terms with what has happened.
“Our beautiful little angel grew his wings today.”
Nearby homes were evacuated in the aftermath of the explosion as the fire service mounted a rescue effort to free the people trapped beneath the rubble.
As investigators began picking through the scene of devastation, the fire service said their work to establish the cause of the blast would be carried out “slowly and methodically”.
It is suspected, however, that a gas leak was responsible for the explosion.
Matt House, a consultant paramedic who attended the scene with North West Ambulance Service, said: "I've seen an awful lot in my 20 years of service but I haven't particularly seen an explosion like this.”
Witnesses to the blast said it sounded “like a bomb going off” and described the force of it shaking their homes.
Neighbour describes Heysham explosion pic.twitter.com/SpSZmDdhW0
— Dave Guest (@mrdaveguest) May 16, 2021
Susan Faulkner, 74, who lives further down Mallowdale Avenue, said: "I woke up with this huge bang and I thought someone was breaking into my house.
"The sound really shook me, I'm still quite shaken by it. I've never experienced that before.
"It was like a bomb going off, it was that kind of impact."
She added: "I've been very lucky. When I see what those poor souls have had happen to them, it's devastating. I'm really sad for those people, it's such a sad thing to happen to them."
Up to three houses badly damaged and others hit by flying debris pic.twitter.com/jSPHKH85Yv
— Dave Guest (@mrdaveguest) May 16, 2021
A fundraising campaign set up to help the families whose homes were destroyed raised more than £20,000 in a matter of hours.
A local pub, the Hurley Flyer, also opened its doors after putting out a call for donations from members of the public.
Lois Hinton, 18, was overseeing the donation drive and said there had been more than 100 donations by early afternoon, including clothes, toiletries and household appliances.
Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible. Updates will be published here as we know more. #Heysham
— North West Ambulance Service (@NWAmbulance) May 16, 2021
She told the Telegraph: “We are hoping to give the families who are directly involved some form of comfort now.”
Lancaster City Council said that it had lowered the flags over its town halls as a mark of respect following the tragedy.
