THOUSANDS of homes are to be given gas safety checks by Kirklees Council.

The council wants to prevent lethal carbon monoxide gas causing another tragedy like that of Fartown boy Dominic Rodgers.

Dominic, 10, was found dead in bed at his home in Spaines Road by his mother in February.

Yesterday the council discussed the tragedy at a meeting in Huddersfield Town Hall attended by Dominic's mother, Stacey Rodgers, who is campaigning for more action on safety.

Her son died of carbon monoxide poisoning after the odourless gas seeped into his bedroom through brickwork.

The gas had come from the boiler of a neighbouring house and had built up in an enclosed passageway between the two houses.

Dominic's room was above the passage.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is often deadly, but can also leave survivors with serious health problems.

Since Dominic's death, his mother, coroner Roger Whittaker and Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman have urged people to get carbon monoxide detectors and have asked for checks to be carried out on the estimated 12,000 back-to-back houses in Kirklees with enclosed passageways.

John Murphy, a member of Newsome Tenants' and Residents' Association, opened the debate at the town hall.

Mr Murphy, a former gas engineer, told councillors that during the Second World War the passageways were built to serve as air raid shelters and had heavy blast-proof steel doors at each end.

The passages were enclosed by brick roofs. A gap in them provides the space for carbon monoxide to build up.

Mr Murphy said: "Fumes can rise into bedrooms. I lost my next-door neighbours this way because they slept above the passage and the gas got into their house. They both died."

Mr Murphy has spoken to the Health and Safety Executive about how to ventilate passages to stop gas build up.

He was told alterations to the brickwork above passages could be made at a cost of £2,500 for about 18 houses.

He said: "It is a question of whether the council wants to spend the money. It is important because people have suffered disabilities due to this and there have been quite a number of deaths."

Clr Andrew Cooper, Cabinet member for housing, said the council, the Health and Safety Executive and Transco, were meeting on April 14 to co-ordinate action against the silent killer.

He said: "The council recognises the seriousness of this issue. We will meet to ensure a co-ordinated response to all the issues arising from this tragic case."

The three organisations will work together to inspect all back-to-back houses like Dominic's to see if modifications are needed.

Investigations will be carried out to see how to ensure gas appliances are being checked as they should.

The council is also thinking about handing out free carbon monoxide detectors.

Leaflets about the deadly gas will be handed out in Birkby, Fartown, Deighton, Thornton Lodge and Crosland Moor, with more areas to follow.

Labour councillors have already started the awareness campaign. They will be calling at every back-to-back house in Deighton, Fartown, Birkby, Marsh and Paddock over the next eight weeks to offer advice about gas safety.