Content Warning: This article mentions serious injury and death.
Northumbria Police confirmed on November 6 that three men, one in his 50s and two in their 30s, have been arrested on suspicion of two counts of manslaughter and the production of cannabis.
"Three men have today been arrested in connection with the explosion"
Detective Chief Inspector Katie Smith, who is leading the Northumbria Police investigation of the incident, said: “This has been a truly tragic incident which resulted in the loss of two lives. As a result of our ongoing enquiries, three men have today been arrested in connection with the explosion."
The blast, which occurred shortly before 1 am on October 16, caused significant damage to a row of flats on Violet Close, a residential road in Benwell. The explosion and subsequent fire left one house almost completely destroyed and collapsed the roofs of two connecting properties.
Emergency services, including firefighters, police and gas engineers, rushed swiftly to the scene to provide aid. Six people, including five adults and a child, were taken to hospital; while five were discharged shortly after treatment, one man in his 30s remains in “critical but stable” condition. Several others were evacuated from their homes for safety.
Superintendent Darren Adams of Northumberland Police described the explosion as “an incredibly tragic incident” with a “truly devastating outcome” during a press release on the afternoon of the incident.
Seven-year-old Archie, a pupil at Bridgewater Primary School, was remembered by his head teacher, Sam Robson, on October 23 as a “gorgeous, happy, much loved little boy” who will be “sadly missed.”
This came shortly after Archie’s parents, Katherine Errington and Robbie York, released a statement on October 22, saying: “Archie was not only our son but our best friend” and “he might have been small but he had a heart of gold, everyone loved him.”
Jason Laws was also mourned by his family and friends on Facebook, where his brother, Joseph Laws, described him as “the best dad in the world” and “the best big brother I could ask for.”
Over £28,000 has since been raised for the families involved in the incident on Gofundme. Kieran Chapman, the organiser of one fundraiser with over 2400 donations, wrote on the page: “I do not know these families, but I want to help. The explosion was that big, I live four miles away in my caravan and the van actually shook, I thought it was a mini earthquake.”
Northumbria Police have asked the community to avoid speculation about the incident both locally and online, stating that they expect the investigation to take some time given the extent of the damage.
