Police wait to speak to house blast pair

Oct 25 2006 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

TWO suspected thieves who were badly burned in a gas blast at an empty house are expected to stay in hospital for weeks, it was revealed today.

The massive explosion on Monday afternoon - believed to have been caused by one of the men lighting a cigarette as they stripped copper piping - destroyed the terraced house in Edith Street, West Bromwich.

The remains of the property were demolished yesterday, along with three neighbouring houses which were also badly damaged.

Det Chief Insp Danny Long, of Sandwell North CID, said today that the two men, both in their 40s and from West Bromwich and Oldbury, had suffered 10 per cent burns to their hands and faces.

One was treated in the burns unit at Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital and the other at a burns unit in Manchester. Mr Long said that both men were expected to remain in hospital for some weeks and might require skin grafts and other surgery. The two men are known to us and we are quite happy to bide our time.

"They are both lucky to be alive. One of the men was blown out of the house and was arrested as he walked towards a nearby Metro stop. His accomplice was buried under rubble."

Sandwell Council's Pete Wilkinson said: "A 25-tonne machine was brought in yesterday to demolish what was left of 76 Edith Street, together with 80, 78 and 74."

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