Seven-year-old Archie York and 35-year-old Jason Laws were killed in the blast in Benwell last October. Demolition work to clear what remained of the ruined properties in Violet Close has now been completed, after police concluded their investigations at the scene in December, and the surrounding homes were made safe to return to.
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00:00Council bosses are yet to decide what will become of the site of the tragic Newcastle explosion which claimed two lives.
00:06Seven-year-old Archer York and 35-year-old Jason Laws were killed in the blast in Benwell last October.
00:12Demolition work to clear what remained of the ruined properties in Violet Close has now been completed
00:18after police concluded their investigations at the scene in December,
00:21and the surrounding homes were made safe to return to.
00:24Newcastle City Council confirmed that no decision had been made on the future of the land.
00:29Civic Centre officials said that they would consult with the West End community when we feel the time is right,
00:34with the trauma of the explosion still fresh in minds at the moment,
00:38and that any potential memorial would be discussed with the families of the victims.
00:42Archie, a pupil of Bridgewater Primary School, was laid to rest on the 7th of January
00:46and Jason's funeral was held on the 10th of January.
00:49On the same day as Archie's funeral, Rhys Galbraith, 33, of Rectory Road in Gateshead,
00:55pleaded not guilty to two counts of manslaughter in connection with the blast in Newcastle Crown Court.