Man held blast girl in his arms

Stephanie brightened lives with her loving personality, said her school

A neighbour of Plymouth house blast victim Stephanie Hammacott said he and a nurse tried to save her life before she died in his arms.

Ian Kelland heard the gas blast at Bulteel Gardens on Tuesday morning which left Stephanie, who was going to school, under a pile of rubble.

He rushed to find her mother distraught and pulled Stephanie, nine, clear before a nurse tried to revive her.

Investigations into the blast have been delayed because the house is unstable.

Stephanie was on her way to breakfast club at Southway Primary School with her mother Carol when the wall of an end of terrace house blew out, trapping her under the rubble.

Eyewitnesses spoke of flames leaping into the air and smoke billowing across the area, where rubble from the blast was strewn up to 50ft (15m) away.

Mrs Hammacott, 38, and a passer-by received minor injuries. The two elderly occupants of the house suffered only smoke inhalation.

Rubble from the house was blown up to 15m Community in shock

Mr Kelland, who moved to the area with his family two weeks ago, said: "I heard a muffled bang, ran outside and saw Stephanie's mum in the car park crying.

"She was shouting 'My baby, my baby'.

"I couldn't get much out of her and then I looked down and saw Stephanie.

"I moved all the bricks and patted out the fire that was there and pulled her to the grass area."

A nurse who was going to work started to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on Stephanie before an ambulance arrived, but it was too late.

"She was in my arms and she passed away," said Mr Kelland.

"It is just a tragic event."

Well-wishers have begun to leave tributes at the scene

Investigations into the explosion by police and the Health and Safety Executive were delayed on Wednesday because the property has been considered unsafe.

Supporting girders are expected to be brought to the site on Thursday.

Work has also been hampered by the presence of asbestos.

Group Commander Malcolm Carmichael, of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue, said: "Clearly one of the problems we've got is the unstable nature of the building.

"We are going to have to work our way very carefully through that without disturbing too much of the evidence which would hamper the investigation.

"We've still got a smouldering building and a thorough investigation to complete."

Well-wishers have placed tributes to Stephanie at the scene and hundreds of messages of sympathy have been left on a local newspaper's website.

People living in 12 houses in the surrounding area are unlikely to be allowed to return home until the end of the week amid safety fears said police.

Officers said they had been told people could smell gas in the area prior to the explosion.

The houses have been boarded up and the residents were offered alternative accommodation.

Schoolfriends of Stephanie have lit a candle in her memory at a special morning assembly and laid flowers close to the spot where she was killed.

Mark Lees, the school's head teacher said Stephanie, who had been at the school since she was aged three, was a "delightful" girl.

"We are all in shock. She was an absolutely delightful girl, she cared for people and worked hard and will be greatly missed."

Plymouth City Council said the house was one of its properties and confirmed the property had undergone a problem-free maintenance check in June.

Wales and West Utilities said it was working alongside emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive as part of the investigation.