Zane Gbangbola: MoD claims followed up in flood death inquiry

Zane Gbangbola's parents say their son was killed by toxic gas washed out of the land

A council is seeking information from the Ministry of Defence over claims chemicals were dumped on land behind a house where a seven-year-old boy died.

Zane Gbangbola's parents say he died from gases washed out of a tip during flooding in 2014.

In 2020, a MoD whistleblower told the BBC that subcontractors working for a tank base dumped chemicals on land in Chertsey, including behind Zane's home.

The MoD said it would take any request from the council seriously.

The request for information is part of preparatory work by officers after councillors agreed tests should take place on the land.

Officers said the council would ask for information from the MoD next week.

Zane's parents (left) and campaigners gathered at Westminster last year

Zane's parents, Kye Gbangbola and Nicole Lawler, dispute inquest findings from 2016 that their son died from carbon monoxide from a pump used to clear flood water.

They have always said the pump was not in use.

They have obtained Public Health England documents showing hydrogen cyanide was detected in their home.

In a report to go before councillors on Wednesday, officers said specialist legal advice had been sought on how the authority could test the land.

Officers also said they submitted a freedom of information request to the Environment Agency in October because the inquest evidence on waste permits was unclear.

They said potential new information since the inquest included claims made to the BBC by a former MoD engineer, who asked to remain anonymous.

The whistleblower claimed subcontractors working for the tank research facility five miles from the house used to dump waste chemicals in local gravel pits.

The MoD previously told the BBC it would not comment on the whistleblower's claims unless formal allegations were made.

Chertsey was hit by devastating floods in 2014

Next steps could include an update to an earlier desktop study that assessed the land and then site investigation, the report said.

However, Zane's father, who is attending the COP26 climate conference, said officers made "no mention of the further increased risks to people and the environment as the climate changes".

Mr Gbangbola, who has previously called for tests on the land to be carried out independently, also drew attention to another incident at Denman Drive in 2009-11 where the council had taken remedial action.

He said: "At Denman, it only took a stain on a child's dress to investigate and cyanide was found."

The MoD said the Chertsey tank training facility was part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency until 2001.

In 2001, it became part of QinetiQ and its affiliation with the MoD ceased.

A spokesman for the department said: "This was not an MoD site at the time of the alleged incident. We have not received any request from Spelthorne council, but if one was received we would naturally take it very seriously."

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