7
Thursday, February 16, 2017 No.27
day
TV guide
Model and millipede join book campaign
NEWS Pages 6&7
60p
theoxfordpaper.co.uk
Cruel thief targets farm
NEWS Page 9
Weekly leisure guide for in & around Oxford
FLATS EXPLOSION People missing as building collapses A NUMBER of people remain missing and several more have “sustained injuries” following a huge explosion in Oxford. Emergency services continue to
Over the new moo n!
Enjoy a night out with a difference Pages 28&29
Meet
The Queen of Hearts
Coronation Street actress’ s journey to Wonderland
page 30
Your guide for your leisure time in & around Oxfordshire
Latest film review > p28
Still need holiday ideas
> p37
Oxford Kitchen review >
p35
Man charged with murder after stabbing
The blast tore through the flats in the Osney Lane area of Oxford on Tuesday afternoon Picture: Alexander Hammonds
George Welch: Reporters
Out& About
THE OXFORD PAPER
scour the rubble of a three-storey block of flats in the Osney Lane and Gibbs Crescent area, west of Oxford city centre after the explosion on Tuesday afternoon. The explosion flattened the block of flats and shook neighbours, who flooded onto the street to see what
had happened around 4.45pm. The cause of the blast is not known at this point, but police have ruled out terrorism. Six fi re crews and up to 40 fi refighters attended and Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service confi rmed a “small number of people are unac-
counted for” as we went to press yesterday. It added two people were treated for minor injuries and one was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington.
Continues on page 2
POLICE have charged a man following a fatal stabbing in Headington on Monday afternoon. Egidio Da Silva Alves, 27, of The Slade, Oxford, was arrested on Monday and charged yesterday with one count of murder and possession of a bladed article. Thames Valley Police officers and ambulances were called to the incident in Windmill Road just after 3pm, where the victim, now named as Dominqos Romalho, had sustained stab wounds. Mr Romalho was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital where he later died. The man’s next of kin have been informed. Thames Valley Police launched a murder investigation after the fatal incident. On Tuesday, Senior Investigating officer Det Insp Dave Hubbard, from Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime unit, said: “I am aware that this will be a concerning incident for the local community. “We believe this to have been an isolated incident, and we are now conducting a thorough investigation. “Members of the public may see an increased police presence in the area over the coming days whilst we conduct enquiries.” He added: “Thankfully, we have already had a number of members of the public come forward with information.” Alves appeared at Banbury Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.