The neighbour of a grandfather who died in a house explosion told an inquest in Swansea that she had smelled gas in the weeks before the blast that destroyed two properties and killed the 68-year-old.
Claire Bennett, who lived next door to Brian Davies, told jurors at Swansea Guildhall that she had noticed a "really strong" smell of gas at the rear of her property for about a fortnight and had assumed it was linked to maintenance work at a nearby house. Mr Davies died on March 13, 2023, when a large blast ripped apart his terraced home in the Morriston area, scattering debris across the road and nearby streets.
Bennett told the inquest she was at home after taking her daughter to school when she heard "a massive bang" and initially thought a car had struck the front corner of the house. She said she lost a couple of seconds, came to amid debris and that rescuers pulled her from the rubble. "Brian's house was completely destroyed and at first they didn't know there was a house there," she said. Bennett said she was injured in the blast, her home was destroyed and she has since required counselling for post-traumatic stress.
The inquest heard that at least three other people were injured and several residents were evacuated from their homes after the explosion. CCTV footage from a nearby house shown to jurors included images of a postman, identified in evidence as Jonathan Roberts, driving up Clydach Road when the blast covered his van in debris.
Senior coroner Aled Wyn Gruffydd told the jury they would hear evidence about how Mr Davies died and the circumstances of the explosion. The court was told Mr Davies had rented the one-bedroom end-of-terrace property for about four years and had worked in the construction industry. He was described in evidence as a pleasant and chatty grandfather of three.
Wales and West Utilities, which maintains the gas network across Wales and the south-west of England, is represented at the inquest, and the Health and Safety Executive is in attendance. Bulldozers and emergency crews cleared rubble from the scene in the days after the blast.
The inquest, which is expected to last a week, will hear technical and witness evidence as jurors examine the cause of the explosion and the circumstances that led to Mr Davies's death. No conclusions have been reached and witnesses at the hearing described immediate efforts by bystanders and emergency services to assist those caught up in the blast.