Oldham explosion: investigation continues into death of toddler A police officer stands near flowers inside a cordon close to the scene of the blast in Buckley Street in Oldham. An investigation is continuing into a suspicious gas blast in Oldham on Tuesday in which a two-year-old boy died. The police likened the devastation in the aftermath of the explosion to that caused by an IRA bomb in Manchester in the 1990s. The death of the toddler, named as Jamie Heaton, is being treated as suspicious by detectives. He lived next door to the house in Buckley Street, Shaw, where the explosion happened, with his parents Kenny and Michelle. Jamie was watching television at the time of the explosion, police said. A 27-year-old man living next door, who has been named as Andrew Partington, was airlifted to Wythenshawe hospital in Manchester with 80% burns. Speaking at a news conference in Shaw on Wednesday morning, Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood of Greater Manchester police, said: "This looks like there has been a bomb. The devastation is absolutely tremendous. Heywood confirmed that investigators were aware of rumours that a domestic incident took place in the area of the blast on the previous evening. The assistant chief constable said they had "no idea what Jamie's family are going through." He also sympathised with people left homeless by the explosion. "Our thoughts go out to those families that have been displaced," he added. He praised the efforts of residents and businesses who had come forward to help those affected by the explosion. "The community support has been absolutely fantastic," he said. Partington was said to be in a "serious but stable" condition in hospital. Residents from 100 properties in the area were evacuated to a nearby school and a relief fund has been set up to help those affected. The fund, which will help to cover the costs of providing immediate relief, has been set up by the charity Forever Manchester on behalf of Greater Manchester local authorities. The properties at Nos 9 and 11 Buckley Street were completely flattened in Tuesday morning's explosion and several other houses suffered damage, with windows and doors being blown out. Superintendent Neil Evans urged anyone with information about an alleged disturbance on Monday evening to contact police. He said: "We are 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. He said the child's "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." The scene was described as "catastrophic" by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's station manager, Dean Nankivell. He said gas was a likely cause of the blast. Jackie Hunter, who lives six doors down from the explosion, said she felt her house lift up. She said: "I jumped up, my front door had gone in. so I ran out and dialled 999. It was just so frightening, the noise was horrendous, I've got nothing at the moment, just the clothes I'm currently stood in. Oldham Council set up a rest centre at Crompton House School in Rochdale Road for residents forced out of their homes. A Red Cross spokesman said no one stayed there overnight, with people opting to go to hotels or stay with relatives. Councillor Jean Stretton from Oldham Council said the priority was to assess the extent of the damage to properties that had not been completely destroyed. She said: "There will be people who will not be going back, more [properties] could be unsafe, so will either be demolished or repaired. What we are doing is looking to provide people with some financial support, we are looking to support them with insurance claims but the council will do what needs to be done. National Grid said there was a report of a gas escape at 10.40am in the Edmund Street and Buckley Street area of Shaw. The company added: "This was shortly followed by another call to report that there had been an explosion."