Residents are still coming to terms with the shock of last week's fatal blast in South Harrow. Having been suddenly forced out of their homes on a humid Wednesday night, the locals need reassurance from the authorities to help them return to a semblance of normality.

Unfortunately,while locals and the media are clamouring for hard facts about the tragedy,the police investigation has only just begun.

The emergence of two snippets of information early on, the mysterious purple liquid and a 999 call, generated more questions than they answered and served only to fuel speculation.

However,a handful of people have suggested these could be complete red herrings - a completely bizarre coincidence - because they are convinced that gas is the cause.

The Stanley Road explosion came just three months after another blast occurred just 800m away on the Rayners Lane Estate, a detonation that has been officially attributed to a build-up of gas.

The question on everyone's lips is: is it just too much of a coincidence?

Surely one of the lines of enquiry must be to examine the circumstances of these two events side-by-side to see if there is any connection whatsoever.

The Observer believes the police and the council have two important tasks to carry out to put South Harrow residents' minds at ease.

Not only must they guarantee locals' immediate and long-term wellbeing in terms of housing and financial stability,they must also allay fears of a potential third explosion and its wider,possibly horrifying consequences.