Police issue update after 91-year-old man killed in Wythenshawe house explosion

Police have said there are no suspicious circumstances after a 91-year-old man was killed in a house explosion in Wythenshawe.

Frank Burton was tragically found dead after the 'huge' blast in his home on Brownley Road on Thursday evening (March 31). Gas board Cadent previously said the gas mains and pipes 'did not contribute to or cause' the explosion.

Greater Manchester Police have been carrying out enquiries since the incident and have today (April 6) confirmed that detectives believe it was not suspicious. The spokesperson added that formal identification had not yet taken place and a file had been passed to the coroner.

READ MORE:Neighbours tell of 'terrible shock' as investigation into Wythenshawe house blast that killed 91-year-old continues

On the day after the blast, Mr Burton's brother Philip paid tribute to him at the scene outside his sibling's house. He described him as a 'character' and a 'good guy'.

Philip told the M.E.N he believed the house to be 'fully electric'. He said he believed that his sibling may have bought a gas appliance to help with the 'cold snap and anticipating [the] rise in energy bills'. He said he feared any such appliance may have sparked the blast.

A huge emergency services presence was sparked as the incident unfolded on Thursday night. A major incident was declared for a short time before it was stood down by emergency services.

A large cordon was put in place on Brownley Road as some residents were evacuated from their homes. Smoke could be seen billowing from the house as fire crews rushed inside.

The latest update issued by Mark Berry, head of customer operations at Cadent, said: "Following a thorough investigation, we can confirm that the gas mains and service pipes in the