Community healing one year on from fatal explosion

IN THE shadow of tragedy a new community is growing on the street devastated by a double fatal explosion.

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Today marks one year since lives were ripped apart on Newcastle's Violet Close when a powerful blast ripped through homes claiming the life of seven-year-old Archie York.

It was later revealed the fatal explosion was caused by a dangerous cannabis lab drug dealer Reece Galbraith had set up in the flat below Archie's home.

The 33-year-old had been using highly flammable butane gas to extract ‘cannabis shatter’ at the property, along with Jason Laws, 35, who was also Killed.

The area where the homes destroyed in the tragedy once stood now remains grassed over and empty, and residents say Violet Close is a very different place to what it was a year ago.