The parents of the 7-year-old boy killed during last winter’s floods are to hold a protest at the Environment Agency tomorrow (Friday November 28) to demand answers over his death.
It comes amid claims schoolboy Zane Gbangbola was poisoned by contaminated water from a landfill site.
Zane Gbangbola
Zane was rushed to hospital along with his mother Nicole, 37, and father Kye, 48, after the basement of their riverside property in Chertsey, Surrey, was engulfed by floodwater.
Public health officials have uncovered evidence of hydrogen cyanide at the home while doctors confirmed traces of the deadly substance were found in his parents’ blood.
The parents have now hired lawyers and are demanding action to find out what happened and whether more people around the UK are at risk - claiming the death of their son in February this year is being “swept under the carpet”.
Nicole Lawler and Kye Gbangbola
The parents met Liz Truss, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, last week and on Friday will hold a protest at the Environment Agency - backed by designer Vivienne Westwood, actress Emma Thompson and musician Peter Gabriel.
The parents and their supporters are gathering in Westminster to protest outside the Environment Agency and hand in a 16,000-strong petition demanding to know “The Truth About Zane”.
Kye - who has been left paralysed from the waist down due to the hydrogen cyanide poisoning - said: “While we face an agonising Christmas without our son, the person we revolved our whole life around, we are starting to believe the causes behind his death are being swept under the carpet.
“It has now been nearly 10 months since he died, and still we have had no cause of death, no date for an inquest and no assurances that our case is being taken seriously.
“We have not even been allowed to step foot back in our own home even to pick up some of Zane’s belongings as it is a health risk due to the hydrogen cyanide gases still being present.”
Kye Gbangbola clearing floodwater from his front garden in January
He added: “The government needs to assure British people something like this never happens again. We have lost a son - yet thousands of other people may unknowingly be at risk.
“There needs to be an urgent inquiry not just into why Zane died, but into historical landfill sites in the UK and the consequences of them being flooded.
“We are keen for a full investigation but all we have got is a wall of silence.
“Anyone who knew our Zane will know exactly why we need to get to the truth. He was an incredibly bright, generous, happy and life-loving boy who had such a wonderful future ahead of him. We cannot let his death be in vain.”
The family were taken to hospital in the early hours of February 8 this year when the area was consumed in Britain’s worst flooding for 248 years.
Both Kye and Zane had suffered cardiac arrest. Zane died later in hospital.
Kye, a company director, has been left in a wheelchair. A consultant neurophysiologist has confirmed his medical condition is caused by exposure to hydrogen cyanide.
The family believe the floodwater was contaminated by water from a lake on a former landfill site that stands just 10 yards from the back of the family's home.
Mr Gbangbola's lawyer - Vijay Ganapathy, from law firm Leigh Day, said: "There is a possibility that floodwater could have come through the contaminated land and into Mr Gbangbola's house.
"We understand that the presence of hydrogen cyanide necessitated the clearance of neighbouring properties and a public health warning for those in the area feeling unwell to seek urgent medical assistance.
"If this is the case then many more people could be at risk and a full investigation of the ex landfill site needs to be undertaken as a priority.”
Zane's parents have set up the website http://www.truthaboutzane.com and urge anyone with information to contact lawyers Leigh Day in confidence.
*Zane’s parents and supporters will be joining the Truth About Zane Protest on November 28, at 11.30am, meeting at the George V statue in the park on Abingdon Street, Westminster (The park is behind Westminster Abbey and opposite the House of Commons) before marching onto the Environment Agency HQ on Horseferry Road, Westminster. For more information go to:
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/events/the-truth-about-zane-marching-on-the-environment-agency