Three arrests made in connection with Benwell house explosion

Three men are under arrest, in connection with the explosion in Newcastle, which killed 2 people, including a 7 year old boy

Author: Ellie KumarPublished 6th Nov 2024

Three men are under arrest, in connection with the explosion in Newcastle, which killed 2 people, including a 7 year old boy.

An investigation has been ongoing since the tragic incident in Violet Close in the early hours of Wednesday, October 16.

The blast killed 7 year old Archie York, and 35 year old Jason Laws.

Today, three men – two in their 30s and one in his 50s – have been arrested.

Each has been arrested on suspicion of two counts of manslaughter, and the production of a Class B drug, namely cannabis.

They all remain in police custody at this time.

Leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Katie Smith, of Northumbria Police, said: “This has been a truly tragic incident which resulted in the loss of two lives.

“As a result of our ongoing enquiries, three men have today been arrested in connection with the explosion.

“Our investigation will remain ongoing as we seek to provide answers to what has happened.

“We would continue to ask people to avoid speculation surrounding this incident both online and in the community.

“Anyone with any information which could assist our enquiries should contact us as soon as possible if they have not already done so.

“We would also like to thank people for their continued support and cooperation.”

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