Brass band player killed himself after accidentally causing gas explosion

Search dog helping at War Office Road

Maurice Fletcher, 57, who had vowed to kill himself over his troubled love life, accidentally caused a gas explosion in his flat. He then drove to a field and committed suicide an inquest has heard.

Mr Fletcher, a father of one is thought to have inadvertently knocked over a flammable substance in his flat. The substance then ignited when Mr Fletcher was out causing a gas blast which tore through his home in War Office Road, Bamford in July 2013.

Three neighbouring flats were also destroyed, leaving two men with burn injuries. It was initially feared that Mr Fletcher was trapped in the wreckage but he was later located safe and well away from the scene.

But less than 24 hours later Mr Fletcher was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. He was found in a secluded field in his Ford KA.

Notes found by the police later revealed that Mr Fletcher admitted causing the blast.

In the run up to the blast, Mr Fletcher, an Inland Revenue Official who played cornet in the Stalybridge Brass Band, had been pining for his ex girlfriend.

The inquest heard that Mr Fletcher suffered bouts of depression following the breakdown of his relationship and would often tell his troubles to his close friend Phil Cornell.

During one depressive episode, Mr Fletcher spent time in hospital for a number of weeks. Mr Fletcher’s GP confirmed that he did suffer from ongoing depression and anxiety and had been referred to mental health services on numerous occasions.

The coroner recorded a verdict that Mr Fletcher had taken his own life.

The gas blast which happened on 30 July 2013 saw a 63-year-old man suffer burns to his upper arm and shoulder, a 36-year-old man received treatment for a broken arm, burns to his body and smoke inhalation and a 74-year-old woman was treated for shock.

Detectives initially treated the explosion as arson but it was later investigated as a case of criminal damage.

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