Wythenshawe house explosion death not suspicious, police say

Frank Burton, pictured far right with his brothers Philip and Norman, was killed in the explosion

The death of a 91-year-old man who was killed in an explosion at his house was not suspicious, police have said.

Frank Burton died in the blast in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester shortly after 18:30 BST on 31 March.

Greater Manchester Police said there was no evidence of any third-party involvement and a file had been passed to the coroner.

Mr Burton's brother, Philip, described him as a "genuine guy" and said he was "very well thought of".

He said the family were "very shocked" at the news of his death.

Police said there was no evidence of any third-party involvement in the house explosion

Parts of the house in Brownley Road were destroyed and nearby homes were temporarily evacuated after the explosion.

Windows at the property were blown out on the busy residential road, but neighbouring properties were not damaged and locals were allowed to return to their homes shortly after the blast.

Gas company Cadent previously said the explosion was not caused by a gas main.

"Gas mains and service pipes in the area are sound and did not contribute to or cause the incident," a spokesperson added.

Mark Berry, head of customer operations, said: "The matter now lies with other agencies for further investigation."

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