Inquest unable to determine cause of fatal Morriston gas blast

The 68‑year‑old grandfather died from chest and neck injuries when his home on Clydach Road was destroyed in a blast on 13 March 2023, sending debris across the road and into nearby streets.

A week‑long inquest at Swansea Guildhall concluded Mr Davies died in an explosion, but the cause could not be established because key evidence from the scene was “compromised and incomplete”.

Senior coroner Aled Wyn Gruffydd apologised to the family for being unable to provide a clear explanation.

Family say they were “let down”

During proceedings, Mr Davies’ son Ricky told the court the family believed “major mistakes” had been made in the investigation, and that they had been “massively let down” by the loss of crucial evidence.

“We hope that harsh lessons have been learned and others don’t have to endure the heartache we have had to face,” he said.

Gas network ruled out

Wales and West Utilities, which maintains the gas network in the area, was represented at the inquest alongside the Health and Safety Executive.

Company representative Harry Lambert told the hearing the police had “absolute” responsibility for gathering evidence at the scene, and said there was “no evidence at all that the mains were the cause of the gas explosion”.

Background

Mr Davies, who worked in the construction industry, had rented the one‑bedroom end‑of‑terrace property for around four years before his death.

Earlier in the inquest, the jury heard from a neighbour who reported smelling gas in the weeks before the blast, and from the family, who criticised the handling of the investigation.

You can read our previous coverage here:

• Neighbour smelt gas weeks before fatal Morriston blast
• Family say “massive mistakes” led to loss of key evidence

#ClydachRoad #coroner #gasExplosion #HealthAndSafetyExecutive #HSE #inquest #Morriston #WalesAndWestUtilities

Family of Morriston blast victim say ‘massive mistakes’ led to loss of key evidence

Brian Lyn Davies, 68, died when his end‑terrace home on Clydach Road was destroyed in the early hours of 13 March 2023. The blast sent debris across the street, damaged neighbouring properties and forced dozens of people to evacuate.

At Swansea Guildhall this week, his son Ricky Davies told the jury:

“As a family we feel massive mistakes have been made and we have been massively let down by the authorities losing evidence.

We hope that harsh lessons have been learned and others don’t have to endure the heartache we have had to face.”

Rubble removed before examination

The inquest heard that in the hours after the explosion, Swansea Council staff operating a JCB removed rubble from the site as part of efforts to locate Mr Davies, who was unaccounted for at the time.

Around 60 tonnes of debris from 159 Clydach Road — described in court as “potential evidence” — was taken to a baling plant at a recycling centre and not preserved for forensic examination.

A gas pipe excavated at the scene was later found to be fractured in several places, with the largest crack measuring between four and eight millimetres. A central question for the jury is whether those cracks existed before the explosion or were caused during excavation.

Expert evidence on gas leak

Stephen Critchlow, from the Health and Safety Executive’s science division, told the inquest he had initial reservations about attending after seeing news footage showing the scene had been “significantly compromised”.

When he did visit, he said:

“I was able to see straight away the road had effectively been cleared of debris from the explosion. My opinion was most of the debris on scene was from the attached 157 neighbouring property, and that materials from 159 had been cleared from the scene.”

On the fractured gas main, he said:

“There is a leaking gas main as a matter of fact. It is close to the house, as a matter of fact, and a leaking gas main outside a house is a common cause of explosion.

I absolutely would not rule out the gas main being causal… but I can’t say any stronger than that, simply because we can’t rule out a gas leak existing in the house already, because that evidence has been lost.”

Mr Critchlow said a gas meter and cooker seized from the property were “gas tight” and the boiler had “no significant leak”.

Gas network denies fault

Harry Lambert, representing Wales & West Utilities, told the hearing the police had “absolute” responsibility for gathering evidence at the scene and said:

“The evidence is compromised and incomplete. There is no evidence at all that the mains were the cause of the gas explosion.”

Neighbour’s account

Earlier in the week, the inquest heard from Claire Bennett, who lived next door at 157 Clydach Road. She said she had smelled gas at the rear of her property for about a fortnight before the blast, which she believed was coming from a nearby address in Field Close.

The jury has now heard all the evidence. The inquest has been adjourned until Monday 15 September, when proceedings will resume.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Inquest hears neighbour smelt gas weeks before fatal Morriston blast
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Inquest hears neighbour smelt gas weeks before fatal Morriston blast

Brian Davies, 68, died when his end‑terrace home on Clydach Road was obliterated in the early hours of 13 March last year. The explosion sent debris across the street and into neighbouring gardens, damaged multiple properties and forced dozens of people to evacuate.

At Swansea Guildhall on Monday, the inquest heard from Claire Bennett, who lived next door to Mr Davies. She described a “really strong” smell of gas at the rear of her property for about a fortnight before the incident, which she assumed was linked to building work nearby.

On the morning of the blast, Ms Bennett had returned from the school run and was sitting in her lounge when she heard what she thought was a car crash.

“Things went dark and I lost a couple of seconds and came to. The house was filled with debris and the ceiling and walls had fallen in,” she said.

She recalled a man’s voice reassuring her as he pulled rubble away to free her from the sofa. Her son Ethan was also caught up in the explosion, and both have since received therapy for post‑traumatic stress.

“For about a year‑and‑a‑half from the moment I open my eyes in the morning until I go to bed at night, I thought I was going to die,” she told the inquest.

The inquest was shown CCTV of postman Jonathan Roberts driving past Mr Davies’ home at the moment of the blast, his van instantly engulfed in dust and debris.

Evidence was also read from the property’s owner, Jeffery White, who said no major works had been carried out in the year before the incident, and from a gas engineer who inspected the home in May 2022 and reported no smell of gas at that time.

Mr Davies, a grandfather‑of‑three and self‑employed builder, had rented the property for around four years. His son Ricky described him as “always in good spirits” with many friends and a love of fitness.

A community still feeling the impact

The March 2023 explosion prompted a major emergency response, with police, fire, ambulance and utility crews on scene for days. A major incident was declared, nearby roads were closed, and a community support hub was set up at Morriston Library.

Residents rallied to help those displaced, with fundraising appeals launched and neighbouring streets offering shelter, clothing and food. Gas pipe replacement work in the area was later brought forward.

Wales & West Utilities, which maintains the gas network, is represented at the inquest alongside the Health and Safety Executive.

The hearing is expected to last a week, examining both how Mr Davies died and the circumstances leading up to the explosion.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Major incident declared after gas explosion in Morriston
Emergency services respond after blast destroys home and damages neighbouring properties.

Man who died following explosion in Morriston named
Tributes paid to 68‑year‑old Brian Davies after fatal blast.

Council worker Keith praised for bravery after Morriston explosion rescue
Local authority employee hailed for pulling neighbour from debris.

Community praised for response to Morriston explosion
Residents rally to support those affected by the incident.

Morriston gas pipe replacement work brought forward in wake of home explosion incident
Utility company accelerates infrastructure upgrades following tragedy.

#ClydachRoad #coroner #featured #Gas #gasExplosion #Guildhall #HealthAndSafetyExecutive #HSE #inquest #Morriston #Swansea #WalesAndWestUtilities