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| Inquiry after girl's blast death | Inquiry after girl's blast death |
| (about 2 hours 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 Plymouth with her mother. Her mother suffered minor injuries. | Stephanie Hammacott was fatally injured when a wall blew out as she walked past the house in Plymouth with her mother. Her mother suffered minor injuries. |
| Stephanie died in hospital after the explosion, which destroyed the house at about 0800 GMT on Tuesday. | |
| Two occupants of the Bulteel Gardens house suffered smoke inhalation. | Two occupants of the Bulteel Gardens house suffered smoke inhalation. |
| A passer-by was also slightly injured in the explosion, which led to the evacuation of several nearby homes. | A passer-by was also slightly injured in the explosion, which led to the evacuation of several nearby homes. |
| 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. |
| Dan Kershaw, who lives across the road from the damaged property, said: "Loads of people came to dig out the girl from the rubble. | Dan Kershaw, who lives across the road from the damaged property, said: "Loads of people came to dig out the girl from the rubble. |
| Rubble from the house was blown up to 15m Firefighters at scene | Rubble from the house was blown up to 15m Firefighters at scene |
| "I could not look any more because she was in such a bad way. She was all burnt and battered." | "I could not look any more because she was in such a bad way. She was all burnt and battered." |
| Eyewitnesses spoke of flames leaping into the air and smoke billowing across the area, where rubble from the blast was strewn up to 15m (50ft) away. | Eyewitnesses spoke of flames leaping into the air and smoke billowing across the area, where rubble from the blast was strewn up to 15m (50ft) away. |
| Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service group commander Malcolm Carmichael said the house had been "almost completely destroyed" by the blast. | Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service group commander Malcolm Carmichael said the house had been "almost completely destroyed" by the blast. |
| He said: "To be walking past when a gas explosion happened is a true tragedy." | He said: "To be walking past when a gas explosion happened is a true tragedy." |
| The school said in a statement: "Stephanie was a popular and caring pupil who brightened up the lives of children." | The school said in a statement: "Stephanie was a popular and caring pupil who brightened up the lives of children." |
| The house was on fire for some time after the explosion | The house was on fire for some time after the explosion |
| Gas and electrical engineers were called, and police said gas detection equipment was at the scene and the area was under constant monitoring. | Gas and electrical engineers were called, and 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. |
| 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. |
| "We shall be working with other authorities to get to the bottom of it," said a spokesman. | "We shall be working with other authorities to get to the bottom of it," said a spokesman. |