Search for the truth

A WHOLE detective syndicate is determined to find the truth of the Shaw explosion.

At least 10 of the houses could be demolished because of the blast in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton died.

Assistant chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Steve Heywood, said the force and the council were not working a “nine-to-five operation” and residents could expect a strong police presence throughout the investigation.

The Health and Safety Executive is now working alongside Oldham Council to assess damage to properties, now police forensic examinations have ended.

Mr Heywood told a press conference that different lines of inquiry were being investigated

He said: “The possibility of an accident is still in there, civil is still in there and criminal is still there. There is a full detective syndicate on it and that will remain the case until we get to the truth.”

Detectives are still keen to question Andrew Partington, who suffered severe burns in the blast, when he comes out of a coma.

His condition may not change for days, maybe even weeks.

The landlord of Mr Partington’s rented property has revealed it had a new, safety-certified boiler, and checks by gas engineers have yet to identify any faults.

But it has been claimed that the boiler developed a fault last week.

A 32-year-old maintenance man from Shaw who had been arrested has been release on bail pending further investigations.


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