Tributes have been left at the scene of an explosion in the Shaw area of Oldham that killed a two-year-old and left a 27-year-old man in a critical condition.

Greater Manchester Police said they were treating the death of Jamie Heaton as suspicious, saying a homicide investigation was underway.

Anthony Partington, 27, who is no relation to Jamie, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

Sources confirmed a domestic argument involving the injured man took place in the hours before the blast, with his partner leaving their house with her five children.

jamie heaton

A police handout of Jamie Heaton, who died in the explosion

Steve Heywood, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, told a press conference in Shaw: "We have had some information to suggest it may not be accidental so we are treating it as a suspicious death and therefore a homicide investigation is undertaken."

Police said they were aware of rumours about a domestic incident and appealed for information, adding they had "significant questions" for Partington, who has officers waiting at his bedside for him to regain consciousness.

jamie heaton

Two-year-old Jamie Heaton died after what was believed to be a gas blast tore through three houses in Buckley Street reducing them to rubble.

Jamie's mother is said to have gone out to the yard to hang out the washing when the explosion occurred, while her son was watching TV, according to police. The Telegraph reported his mother crawled through the rubble of the collapsed house to find her son.

"The victim Jamie was in the house, we believe the front room, watching TV and his mother had just slipped out into the back yard, hanging out washing," Steve Heywood, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, said.

"What that mother must be going through must be unbelievable, so our hearts go out to her."

Superintendent Neil Evans said on Tuesday: "We are also aware of some rumours within the local community about a potential domestic disturbance in the area last night.

"What I can categorically say is that if that is the case, the police were not called.


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Tributes were left at the scene of the gas explosion


"However, if anyone has any information about this, particularly if they think it might be relevant to what happened today, I would urge them to get in touch."

The officer said of the dead child's family: "His loved ones are absolutely distraught and we will provide them with whatever support we can at what is clearly a very difficult and upsetting time."

One message on a bunch of flowers read: "Our thoughts are with you and your family little angel, taken so early."

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The scene was described as looking like a war zone by residents

Adam Pollard, 21, was at his mother's house just 500 yards away when he heard the explosion.

"It was the biggest bang I have ever heard, all the windows shook," he said.

"I got to the street and the three houses that had been there were just rubble. I was worried if someone was trapped."

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  • Oldham explosion

    A police officer places flowers inside a cordon close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

  • Emergency services personnel gather in the Shaw area of Oldham, in north-west England, on June 26, 2012, following a large explosion. There is currently no confirmation on the number of casualties or homes damaged. (Photo credit: AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLISPAUL ELLIS/AFP/GettyImages)

  • Emergency services personnel gather in the Shaw area of Oldham, in north-west England, on June 26, 2012, following a large explosion. There is currently no confirmation on the number of casualties or homes damaged. (Photo credit: AFP PHOTO / PAUL ELLISPAUL ELLIS/AFP/GettyImages)

  • Search and rescue teams work at the scene of an explosion in Oldham, Greater Manchester on June 26, 2012 in Shaw, England. A child has died, one person is un-accounted for and one man has suffered eighty percent burns in the explosion which has destroyed two terraced houses. According to reports there was a 'gas escape' at 10:40. (Photo credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

  • A broken window in a house in the Shaw area of Oldham after a suspected gas explosion. (Photo credit: PA)

  • Fireman at the scene of a suspected gas explosion in the Shaw area of Oldham. (Photo credit: PA

  • (Photo courtesy of @amberrlaurenx/Twitter)

  • (Photo courtesy of Stuart Littleford, Saddleworth News.)

  • In this photograph taken by local resident Adam Pollard, rubble is strewn at the scene of an explosion in Oldham on June 26, 2012 in Shaw, England. A child has died, one person is un-accounted for and one man has suffered eighty percent burns in the explosion which has destroyed two terraced houses. According to reports there was a 'gas escape' at 10:40. (Photo by Adam Pollard/Getty Images)

  • Broken tiles and debris rest on roofs at the site of an explosion in Oldham, Greater Manchester on June 26, 2012 in Shaw, England. A child has died, one person is un-accounted for and one man has suffered eighty percent burns in the explosion which has destroyed two terraced houses. According to reports there was a 'gas escape' at 10:40. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped.Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Aerial picture of the scene of the gas explosion which has flattened three houses on Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester (Tuesday 26th June 2012). Police have confirmed that a young child has died and a man has been taken to hospital suffering from significant burns. Efforts are ongoing to establish whether any other people are trapped. Cavendish Press

  • Oldham explosion

    A forensic officer (left) arrives close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

  • Oldham explosion

    A damaged car sits amongst debris on Oak Street close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.

  • Oldham explosion

    Fireman at the scene of a suspected gas explosion in the Shaw area of Oldham.

  • Oldham explosion

    Flowers inside a cordon close to the scene of a suspected gas blast in Buckley Street in the Shaw area of Oldham, Greater Manchester, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton was killed and Anthony Partington, 27, was left with life-threatening burns after three terraced homes were reduced to rubble.