his life last night.

Carlton Perinchief, 37, of Crest View Road, was in a critical condition at the Bayview burns unit at John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, US.

And police said an investigation into the exact cause of the blast, which left Mr. Perinchief with 90 percent burns, is still ongoing.

His 28-year-old girlfriend, who has not been named, has been questioned as part of the inquiry. It is understood there had been reports of a altercation shortly before the blast.

And last night neighbours at the quiet road where the pair lived in a ground floor apartment said they were still in the dark as to what actually happened on Saturday.

Ruth Perinchief, Carlton Perinchief's mother, said last night there had been no change in his condition.