A father was smoking a cigarette on the balcony when it was thrown into the air by the force of an explosion.
Adam Walker, 32, heard the sound of a loud bang followed by his three-year-old son, Jaxon, screaming as the blast shattered a block of flats in Tanfields in Skelmserdale on May 17. Police said five people managed to get out of the building before emergency services arrived and fortunately none of them were seriously injured.
A man later rushed to Ormskirk Hospital with life-threatening burn injuries. Adam, his partner Sophie Croft, 26, and their son Jaxon were among the families forced to evacuate their homes after the blast.
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Adam told ECHO, “I sat on the balcony when he passed, he threw me off the chair and I ran, I grabbed Sophie, I grabbed the baby and I ran out.
“I can’t explain how it felt. I was sitting there taking a ciggy, it just exploded. The baby was in the living room, he was asleep, he woke up screaming.”
Sophie Croft, 26, and her son Jaxon, three. (Image: Sophie Croft)
Photographs shared with ECHO show the extent of the damage caused to the island of homes where the explosion occurred, which was completely destroyed. In one photo, you can see a freezer refrigerator hanging from the wreckage along with a two-seater sofa.
People living on the two floors directly affected by the blast remain in temporary accommodation, while others have chosen to stay with friends and family. In an update this week, West Lancashire Council said the decision had been made to demolish the two flats involved.
The aftermath of the explosion at Tanfields in Skelmersdale (Image: Liverpool Echo)
A letter has been sent to area residents informing them of the demolition works and the implications this could have. Adam said his family has now returned home, but they no longer feel safe living there and have asked the council to move them to a different property.
Adam said, “We’ve been living in my mom’s living room for two weeks. It’s affected everyone. Jaxon hasn’t gone back to school, he’s not himself. He doesn’t sleep well.
“It affected me too. I started arriving late at work and that’s not like me. I don’t sleep well.”
Lancashire police are still investigating the cause of the blast. A 40-year-old man from Skelmersdale who was arrested on suspicion of producing a controlled drug has been released on bail until June 20.
A 29-year-old man from Darlington who has been arrested on suspicion of producing a class B drug and causing a life-threatening explosive substance or causing serious injury has been released on charges up to 16 June.
A spokesman for the West Lancashire Borough Council said: “Following the explosion in Tanfields, Skelmersdale, the council has been working closely with affected residents. We can confirm that residents of the two flats directly affected by the incident have received temporary accommodation. , which some residents have taken care of while others stay with family and friends.
“We have been in regular contact with displaced residents to provide assistance and updates. We have also written to the general community to inform them of the need to demolish the two floors, the deadlines involved and any implications for health and safety. , in addition to the impacts, this work may have access and parking around the site.
“Although the property in question is not located in any of the affected blocks, I can confirm that we have requested advice from our structural engineer who has confirmed that there is no residual risk that forces the occupants to leave the property.
“We will consider any housing application in accordance with the City Council’s Allocation Policy, taking into account any supporting evidence.”
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