TEENAGERS who set fire to a gas pipe at a frail Accrington pensioner's house have been branded 'brain dead' by firefighters.
Fire chiefs say it was a miracle an explosion did not rock Stanley Street following the incident in which youths set fire to the pipe next to an 80-year-old woman's house yesterday evening.
The incident is the latest in a number of arsons in the Avenue Parade area.
The fire was spotted by passers-by who contacted the fire service.
Station Officer Colin Byers said: "There is no way of over-stating just how serious this is.
"The youngsters involved had no idea what would happen when they set fire to the plastic pipe.
"It caused the gas to escape and if the fire had just gone out the gas would have continued to escape until there was an explosion and there is no guessing how serious that could have been.
"There was an infirm woman living inside the house at the time, and she is now terrified."
Police were today investigating the incident.
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