Man found dead after Newcastle house explosion named in reports
The blast happened in Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
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The second person found dead following a house explosion in Newcastle has been named in reports as Jason “Jay” Laws.
The blast happened in Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city, in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Northumbria Police previously said that a second body, thought to be a man in his 30s, had been found in the debris after a seven-year-old boy, named in reports on Thursday as Archie York, had also died in the incident.
Mr Laws was the brother of professional boxer Joseph Laws, a well-known figure in the local community who trains in Benwell, the BBC reported.
Joseph Laws said in a Facebook post that his head was “in bits” and described Mr Laws as the “best dad in the world” and “the best big brother I could ask for”.
On Thursday, Abbie York, the aunt of Archie, told the BBC he was “a loving boy, with a cheeky little grin on his face all of the time”.
She said Archie had been learning how to swim and enjoyed playing the violin, and that his parents and two-month-old brother had all been treated in hospital and were now recovering, the BBC reported.
Northumbria Police superintendent Darren Adams said on Thursday: “Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of the two people who have tragically lost their lives.
“Specialist officers are supporting their loved ones and we would urge everyone to respect their privacy at this time.”
The force said six people – five adults and a child – were taken to hospital with varying degrees of injuries, but later confirmed that all but one of these have now been discharged.
A man in his 30s remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition, a spokesman said.
The spokesman added: “We can also confirm that we do not have any reports of missing people related to the incident.”
Emergency services, including eight fire appliances and specialist search teams, were called to Violet Close shortly before 1am on Wednesday.
Drone pictures from above the street showed at least one house appeared to have been completely destroyed, with roofs collapsed and firefighters working among the rubble.
Firefighters said it was six flats that were badly affected by the blast, with two hit by the main brunt of the explosion.
Mr Adams said the investigation into the cause of the explosion remains ongoing, with cordons expected to be in place in the area for some time.
Speaking to reporters at the scene on Wednesday, he sent condolences to the families involved, saying: “The loss and pain they must be suffering is unimaginable.”
A man who lives in the area, Kieran Chapman, 28, set up a GoFundMe for the people involved in the explosion, which had raised more than £23,000 by Friday afternoon.
To donate to the fundraiser, visit gofundme.com/f/help-the-gas-explosion-families.
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