Blast death parents in cannabis factory warning

The parents of a seven-year-old boy killed in a house explosion are working with a local authority to warn about the dangers of cannabis manufacturing.

Archie York died in the blast caused by an illegal cannabis factory and which destroyed his family home at Violet Close in Benwell, Newcastle, in October 2024.

Reece Galbraith, 33, was jailed for 14 years last June for causing the explosion, which also killed 35-year-old Jason Laws.

Archie's parents have spoken out about the devastation caused to them by the making of cannabis shatter - a concentrate of the drug - and worked with Newcastle City Council to produce a document detailing Archie's story and tips on spotting shatter factories.

In the report Archie's father Robbie York describes falling asleep with his son on the sofa before the explosion, as well as its aftermath.

"I woke up from the explosion and immediately looked for Archie as he had fallen asleep with me, so I thought he must be close to me," he said.

"I could not find him... Archie died on the impact of the explosion, so even if I did find him, it would have been too late.

"It is mental torture daily for me to think I could not save my little boy."

Cannabis shatter, which is far stronger than its plant form, can be inhaled via vapes.

The council said it is often made with highly flammable butane gas, more than 100 bottles of which were recovered from the wreckage at Benwell.

Robbie York said Galbraith and Laws had "no thought for the risk" they were putting their neighbours at.

He said: "The process of making shatter is so dangerous, it was so close to us, and we had no idea."

Damage and costs to Newcastle City Council were valued at £3.7m, with 81 adults and 59 children from 51 homes displaced.

Ten households had to be permanently rehoused.

The local authority will discuss the document at a meeting on Monday and, if approved by councillors, officials hope to share the report to housing officers and social workers across the country.

They aim is to help people be more aware of the signs of cannabis shatter production and help shut down these facilities.

Unlike typical cannabis farms, shatter factories do not usually smell like the plant, the local authority said.

But other signs include chemical smells and unusual ventilation setups.

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