Father was smoking a cigarette on his balcony when it was blown up by an explosion.
Adam Walker, 32, heard the sound of a loud bang followed by the screaming of his three-year-old son Jackson as the blast tore apart a Tanfield apartment building in Skelmserdale on May 17. Police said five people were able to leave the building before emergency services arrived, and fortunately none of them were seriously injured.
A man later visited the hospital in Ormskirk with non-life-threatening burns. Adam, his partner Sophie Croft, 26, and their son Jackson were among the families forced to evacuate their homes after the blast.
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Adam told ECHO: “I was sitting on the balcony when this happened, it threw me out of my chair and I rushed in, grabbed Sophie, grabbed the baby and ran away.
“I can’t explain how it felt. I was just sitting there drinking a cigarette – it just exploded. The baby was in the living room, asleep – he woke up screaming.
Sophie Croft, 26, and her son Jackson, three. (Image: Sophie Croft)
The photos shared with ECHO show the amount of damage caused to the unit in which the explosion took place, which was completely blown up. In one photo you can see a refrigerator with a freezer hanging from the remains together with a double sofa.
People who lived in the two apartments directly affected by the blast remained in temporary accommodation, while others chose to stay with friends and family. In an update this week, the West Lancashire council said a decision had been made to demolish the two affected apartments.
Consequences of the Tanfields explosion in Skelmersdale (Image: Liverpool Echo)
A letter was sent to the residents of the area, informing them about the demolition work and any consequences that this may have. Adam said his family has already returned home, but they no longer feel safe living there and have asked to be moved by the council to another property.
Adam said, “We lived in my mother’s living room for two weeks. This affected everyone. Jackson has not returned to school, he is not himself. He is not sleeping properly.
“It affected me too, I started being late for work and it’s not like me. I’m not sleeping properly.”
Lancashire police are still investigating the cause of the blast. A 40-year-old man from Skelmersdale, who was arrested on suspicion of controlled drug production, has since been released on bail until June 20th.
A 29-year-old man from Darlington, who was arrested on suspicion of producing a Class B drug and causing an explosive substance that could endanger life or cause serious injuries, was released on bail until June 16.
A spokesman for the West Lancashire Municipal Council said: “Following the explosion in Tanfields, Skelmersdale, the Council is working closely with the people affected. We can confirm that the residents of the two apartments directly affected by the incident were offered temporary accommodation, which some residents took over, while others stayed with family and friends.
“We are in regular contact with the displaced residents to provide them with assistance and updates. We also wrote to the wider community to inform them of the need to demolish the two apartments, the associated deadlines and any health and safety implications in addition to the impacts this work may have for 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 sought advice from our civil engineer, who confirmed that there is no residual risk that will require the occupants to move out of the property.
“We will properly consider any housing application in accordance with the Council’s allocation policy, taking into account all supporting evidence.”
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