Nelson couple died in blaze after portable heater ‘explosion’, inquest hears

An elderly couple died when a fire engulfed their home after an attempt to refuel a portable heater resulted in an “explosion”.

Marlene Mumford, 84, and William Mumford, 90, died at their property at Heol Fawr, Nelson, in Caerphilly county, last December.

An inquest in Newport was told that the most likely cause of the fire was a mechanical or connection failure with the gas heater.

Assistant coroner Sarah Le Fevre said it was believed William Mumford had attempted to carry the cylinder out of the home in an effort to remove it, but that this had only caused the flames to spread.

She recorded their deaths as an accident, and the result of an “unintended act with unforeseen circumstance”.

The alarm was raised by a neighbour who was in the nearby Tyler’s Arms when he noticed smoke and large flames.

He and another man ran to the house where they saw a gas canister explode near the front porch with the flames rising above the height of the house.

Emergency services were initially unable to enter the property due to the extent of the damage caused by the blaze.

Firefighters reported seeing thick, black smoke “pumping out” of the property, the hearing was told.

The couple were pronounced dead at the scene.