Tragic Explosion Followed £80 Monthly Rent Increase
A 53-year-old man who died after deliberately causing a gas explosion at his rented home had told friends "it's going with a bang" just hours after receiving notice of an £80 monthly rent increase, an inquest has heard.
Final Hours Before Devastating Blast
David Howard, a father-of-two from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, received a letter from his landlord on April 2025 informing him that his monthly rent would rise from £460 to £540. That same afternoon, he began telling friends of his destructive intentions.
"He was very upset about the rent increase," the inquest was told, with friends describing Mr Howard as being "in a mood and depressed." One friend, Shanelle Williams, told officers through a statement read by DC Daniel Akehurst that Mr Howard said he was "pissed off and could not cope anymore."
Mr Howard, who had lived at the John Street property for 11 years, made a series of alarming statements to multiple friends throughout the afternoon. He repeatedly warned: "You watch," "You wait until the end of the day," and "You wait to see what happens."
Gas Pipes Deliberately Tampered With
The inquest heard how Mr Howard called Ms Williams around 3pm to say "he had pulled the pipes" and spoke about "blowing up the house." At 3:29pm, he called again to declare: "I've done it, I've pulled the pipes off the gas. It's going to go with a bang."
Earlier that day, Mr Howard had locked his doors after two visiting friends went to the shops—behavior they described as "strange." When they returned, he told them: "Go, I don't want anyone else to get hurt. Please just go."
When asked if they could take his dog Roxy, Mr Howard insisted: "Roxy is staying with me." He also told a female friend who could smell gas to leave immediately, using explicit language.
One friend shouted through the locked door: "You are being stupid, there are kids next door. You are a fucking idiot." The hearing did not establish whether any friends attempted to notify police before the explosion.
Chaotic Scene After Powerful Explosion
Police were notified of the explosion at 7:39pm. When emergency services arrived, they found the house had "fully collapsed" in what DC Akehurst described as a "chaotic scene" that prompted declaration of a major incident.
Up to 200 people were "milling around" the street as residents were evacuated from the area. The explosion was described as "large and powerful," with nearby properties damaged by its force.
Fire investigator Christopher Trendowicz of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service told the hearing the explosion occurred on the ground floor, causing the first floor to collapse. Mr Howard was found conscious but struggling to breathe, "slowly crushed" while "trapped under a significant amount of rubble."
Emergency crews struggled to reach him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:58pm. His dog Roxy also perished in the blast.
Investigation Points to Deliberate Tampering
The Health and Safety Executive instructed gas company Cadent to investigate possible external leaks, but none were found. The gas meter, boiler, and piping were tested and found to be safe.
The only abnormality identified was damage to Mr Howard's cooker, whose flexible gas pipe had been "stretched to capacity." Mr Trendowicz said the cooker was the likely source of the gas leak, which was probably ignited by the "ripped out" capacitor of Mr Howard's fridge—which had been moved from its usual position.
Assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley concluded: "Having heard the evidence from the fire service about the damaged gas pipe cooker and the evidence that David had informed his friend that he had 'pulled the pipes, was going to blow the house up and it was going to go with a bang', I find that David caused the damage to the gas cooker intentionally."
Complex Background of Mental Health and Substance Use
A post-mortem examination found Mr Howard had low levels of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol in his system at the time of his death, which may have led to "mild cognitive impairment." The coroner concluded his death was caused by asphyxia while trapped under rubble, along with the effects of heroin and cocaine use.
Mr Howard had a documented history of mental health issues, having been diagnosed with PTSD and moderate depression in 2021. His substance abuse problems were first reported in 2012.
"It's possible that David did not appreciate the dangerousness of the situation," said Coroner Hartley. "With that in mind, I do not find that David intended to end his life when he did. I find that David's intentions cannot be established."
Mr Howard's two daughters, Keely and Lauren Howard, attended the hearing but declined to comment on their father's mental health or describe him as a person when asked by the coroner. No notes were recovered from the property during the investigation.
