Bedford inquest into Cleat Hill explosion deaths adjourned until 2026
A man died at the scene and a woman later in hospital after an explosion last year
Details about the events leading up to a fatal explosion in Bedford were heard at an inquest today, which has now been adjourned until 14th January 2026.
Emergency services were called to a residential property in Cleat Hill on the morning of 19 October 2024 following reports of an explosion and fire. A major incident was declared.
A man was found dead at the scene. A woman was rescued by a member of the public and later died in hospital on 29 October.
The inquest heard that the property was owned by Paul Swales, who lived there with his sister-in-law, Julia Harris.
It was heard that Mr Swales had hired a building company to construct an annex at the back of the property. Part of the work involved installing a ground source heat pump, which required a bore hole to be drilled 110 metres into the ground.
The inquest was told that the drilling work had been subcontracted to a separate company, and that on 2 July 2024, a pocket of natural gas was struck during drilling.
Responding agencies put in place methods to vent the gas into the atmosphere. Management of the gas release was later handed back to the drilling company.
A forensic post-mortem examination of Mr Swales took place on 25 October. A post-mortem of Ms Harris was carried out on 7 November. While final results are still awaited, the inquest heard that initial findings suggest both deaths were linked to the explosion and fire.
Police are leading the investigation with support from the Health and Safety Executive.
The inquest was told that the cause of the explosion is still under investigation and will depend on ongoing technical and forensic examinations. The police team is relying on expert input and their timelines.
The coroner also heard that a review is being carried out to determine whether health and safety legislation was followed, whether duty of care responsibilities were met, and how the response to the gas release was managed.
The Crown Prosecution Service is involved, but it was made clear that this does not mean criminal charges will necessarily follow.