Manchester explosion: Man jailed for causing blast

A man who caused an explosion in his kitchen while his family were in the house has been jailed for two years.

Clinton Parren bought a camping stove and four gas canisters to cook meals in the garden on 29 December.

Investigators found the blast at the house in Manchester was caused by a canister being placed on the cooker hob, which had then been switched on.

Parren, 43, pleaded guilty to causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

Manchester Crown Court heard the time of the explosion, Parren, of Pewsey Road in Wythenshawe, was living with his partner and their two children.

The family was woken by the explosion, which caused significant damage to the whole property, at about 00:30 GMT on 30 December.

Parren said he left a gas canister next to the cooker but locked the other three in the shed, Greater Manchester Police said.

But fire investigators found a canister had been placed on the hob causing it to heat up until the gas inside expanded sufficiently to cause it to explode.

Det Con Natalie Richardson said: "This was a reckless act that could have resulted in serious injuries, not only to Parren's and his own family, but also to his neighbours.

"He caused substantial irreparable damage to the property and it is a surprising that this did not affect the neighbouring properties."

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