Brian Lyn Davies, a 68-year-old builder, was killed when his rented one-bedroom terrace house on Clydach Road in Morriston, Swansea, was destroyed in a gas explosion on 13 March 2023. An inquest at Swansea Guildhall heard the blast was so powerful that the property "disappeared", with first rescuers initially unaware a house had stood on the site.
Neighbour Claire Bennett, who lived next door, described hearing a "massive bang" while relaxing on her sofa. She became trapped under debris and was taken to hospital, where she spent a week being treated for a brain injury. She told the inquest she had smelled gas for a fortnight before the explosion, attributing it to maintenance work at a nearby property. Both she and her son have since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
CCTV footage shown to the jury captured the moment of the blast, which engulfed a passing post van in smoke and debris. The inquest heard the house contained two gas appliances – a combination boiler and a cooker – which had last been inspected in May 2022. The next inspection had been due in May 2023, but records indicated the cooker had been disconnected after the previous check.
In a statement, the victim's son, Ricky Lyn Davies, said his father had been an active and healthy man in good spirits, who had three grandchildren, enjoyed holidays, and kept his home and work van spotless. Wales & West Utilities, which maintains the gas network in Wales and south-west England, was represented at the hearing.
