A coroner said an inquest into a house explosion that killed a 68-year-old man in Swansea could not determine the cause because much of the evidence had been removed from the scene.
Brian Davies died in the blast at his home on Clydach Road, Morriston, on 13 March 2023. A jury at Swansea Guildhall reached a narrative conclusion but was unable to identify the cause after finding that material preserved at the scene was compromised or incomplete, Coroner Aled Gruffydd told the hearing and apologised to the family.
The inquest heard that Mr Davies was found in the kitchen area of the demolished house about six hours after the explosion and died from injuries to his neck and chest. Three other people were taken to hospital, including a 14-year-old boy who lived next door.
Jurors were told that a gas boiler, cooker and meter were retained for examination by police, but that tonnes of debris from the property had been removed to a recycling centre and subsequently disposed of. The removal of material took place during searches for Mr Davies and, the coroner said, hampered the inquiry into how the blast occurred.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) principal gas engineer, Stephen Critchlow, told the inquest the damage was "typical of a severe gas explosion" and that a leak in a gas main near the house was "a viable cause for [the] explosion." He added, however, that he could not rule out a gas leak within the house because evidence that might have shown that possibility had been lost.
Representatives of Wales and West Utilities (WWU) told the hearing police bore responsibility for collection of material at the scene. Harry Lambert, representing WWU, said the force had "absolute" responsibility for gathering evidence.
Rob Long, chief operating officer for WWU, said the company’s thoughts remained with those affected and the wider Morriston community. The coroner said he would write to the HSE and to the police about preservation of evidence for future investigations.
Family members told the inquest they felt "let down" by what they described as "major mistakes" in the subsequent handling of the scene. The jury was shown images of Mr Davies' cooker, which had been disconnected; Richard Holder from the letting agency said the rented house had been inspected about five months before the explosion and no gas problems were noted. Mr Holder confirmed the cooker disconnection had not been organised by the agency.
Next-door neighbour Claire Bennett said she had smelled gas in the area for about two weeks before the blast. She told jurors she was sitting in her living room when she heard a "massive bang" and briefly lost consciousness. She described the house as being filled with debris and said she and her son, Ethan, later required therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Footage captured on CCTV and shown to the jury depicted the moment of the explosion, with smoke visible instantly as debris was propelled from the building, the inquest heard. Former postman Jonathan Roberts told jurors he heard the blast as he drove past.
The narrative conclusion records the circumstances of Mr Davies's death but does not assign a definitive cause because of the lack of preserved material, the coroner said. He confirmed he would communicate with relevant authorities to seek improvements in evidence preservation for future incidents. The family’s concerns and the points raised at the inquest will be passed on as part of that correspondence.