THE Crown Prosecution Service will examine a report on the gas

explosion which killed a Plymouth schoolgirl to decide whether

any offences were committed.

It comes as the investigation into the explosion at Bulteel

Gardens, which killed nine-year-old Stephanie Hammacott in

January, yesterday concluded gas seeping upwards from a

fractured main caused the blast.

Officers from the police and the Health and Safety Executive

joint investigation team still don’t know why the main broke,

and have seized documentation to track excavations in the

area.

A police spokesman said: “Although inquiries are still ongoing,

we can say the explosion was caused by the fracture of a

low-pressure gas main on the corner of Bulteel Gardens and

Winnicott Close.

“The gas escaping from this main would have seeped through

whatever voids and air pockets it found and some of it clearly

tracked into number 4 Bulteel Gardens, where it found an

ignition source resulting in the explosion.”

A forensic examination of the main itself is still being

carried out at the Health and Safety Executive laboratory in an

attempt to assist with the question of why the main

fractured.

The investigation has included seizure and analysis of

documentation from various bodies and corporations about

previous excavation work in the area and whether it could have

contributed to the fracture.

“We are also examining the role and responsibilities of the

different agencies to ensure that relevant procedures have been

adhered to and that negligence is not a factor in the

fracture,” the spokesman said, adding all agencies had

supported the investigation.

The full report is expected to be completed soon, and will be

passed to the CPS to determine whether there were any criminal

or Health and Safety offences leading up to the explosion, and,

if there are, whether there should be a prosecution. If it is

considered there are no offences, the report will be passed to

the coroner, in preparation for Stephanie’s inquest.