George Arthur Hinds: Blast that killed toddler in Lancashire caused by cut gas line, police say | UK News

An explosion that killed a toddler in Heysham, Lancashire, was caused by a cut gas line inside a property, police said.

Lancashire Police said they have opened a criminal investigation into how the pipe was cut, with investigations still ongoing.

George Arthur Hinds, two years and 10 months old, died in the explosion on Sunday, May 16.

His parents Vicky Studholme and Stephen Hinds were also injured, but not seriously.

And a 44-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman remain in hospital with serious injuries.

Chief Detective Inspector Jane Webb said: “My thoughts remain foremost with George’s family and loved ones at this time, as well as others affected by this incident.

“An incredible amount of work was done on the scene in a relatively short period of time, and in addition to identifying the source of the explosion, we were also successful in recovering items from George, which I know means a lot to his parents.

“Our goal now is to try to establish how and why the pipe inside # 20 was cut and these investigations are complex and time consuming.”

The detective appealed for anyone to have information about what had happened to contact the police.