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<\/p>\nDavid Howard had lived on John Street, Worksop, for 11 years and was a regular drug user, struggling with his mental health<\/p>\n
14:48, 30 Mar 2026Updated 16:21, 30 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
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The aftermath of the explosion in John Street in Worksop(Image: PA)<\/p>\n
A Nottinghamshire man warned multiple friends he was going to blow his house up after his rent was increased by \u00a380.<\/p>\n
David Howard, 53, had lived at 26 John Street in Worksop<\/a> for 11 years when he caused a fatal explosion – which resulted in his and his dog’s death – on April 12, 2025.<\/p>\n On the same day, he had received a letter from his landlord, Sarah Reilly, to inform him his monthly rent, which was mostly paid by Bassetlaw District Council, was going to go up by \u00a380 to \u00a3540.<\/p>\n At around 3pm, he began telling a number of friends that he was going to “blow the house up”, saying “you wait until the end of the day”, an inquest into Mr Howard’s death was told on Monday, March 30.<\/p>\n The scene of the explosion on March 27, 2026, almost a year from the incident(Image: Joseph Raynor\/ Reach PLC)<\/p>\n One of his friend’s accounts of the events on April 12 was detailed by DC Daniel Akehurst during the proceedings.<\/p>\n Shanelle Williams told officers Mr Howard had told her on the day that he was “p****d off and could not cope anymore” due to his rent going up.<\/p>\n Ms Williams described Mr Howard as “in a mood and depressed”. The woman was then called by Mr Howard at around 3pm, when he told her “he had pulled the pipes” and made comments about “blowing up the house”.<\/p>\n In another call at 3.29pm, Mr Howard told Ms Williams “I\u2019ve done it, I\u2019ve pulled the pipes off the gas. It\u2019s going to go with a bang.”<\/p>\n David Howard, the victim of the Worksop house explosion, and his dog<\/p>\n The latter call lasted 42 seconds and was ended by Mr Howard before Ms Williams could say anything.<\/p>\n Before this, Mr Howard had told friends he had been up for three days with no sleep and was “very upset” about the rent increase”.<\/p>\n A friend tried to give him advice but he wasn\u2019t listening, with Mr Howard saying, “You watch”, “You wait until the end of the day” and “You wait to see what happens”.<\/p>\n The inquest was told Mr Howard had made similar comments before April 12.<\/p>\n Around 3pm, Mr Howard locked the doors to the property he was renting after two of his friends left to go to a shop, which was described as “strange”.<\/p>\n Remains of the property on John Street(Image: Joseph Raynor\/ Reach PLC)<\/p>\n Upon returning, the two friends were told by Mr Howard to “go, I don\u2019t want anyone else to get hurt. Please just go”.<\/p>\n Asked by his friends if they could at least take his dog, Roxy, Mr Howard said: “Roxy is staying with me.”<\/p>\n Another friend then went to the property and tried speaking to him but was told to \u201cf*** off\u201d. The same person said she could smell gas.<\/p>\n Another then told Mr Howard through the locked door: “You are being stupid, there are kids next door. You are a f****** idiot.”<\/p>\n The hearing wasn’t told any of the friends made any attempts to notify emergency services of the events.<\/p>\n A call was then received by the police<\/a> at 7.39pm to say an explosion had occurred at 26 John Street.<\/p>\n DC Akehurst described how the house had “fully collapsed” by the time emergency services arrived to the “chaotic” scene and a major incident was declared.<\/p>\n The hearing was told up to 200 people were “milling around” the street, with these residents then evacuated.<\/p>\n DC Akehurst said the explosion was “large and powerful” and its force had also damaged the adjacent properties, as well as some opposite.<\/p>\n The extent of the explosion(Image: PA)<\/p>\n A statement from a first responder read out in the hearing said Mr Howard was still conscious when emergency services arrived and reported having significant difficulty breathing and “was slowly being crushed” as he was “trapped under a significant amount of rubble”.<\/p>\n Crews couldn’t get to him, however, due to the difficulty of the scene and he was pronounced dead at 9.58pm.<\/p>\n Christopher Trendowicz, fire investigator at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, told the hearing that the explosion happened on the ground floor of the property, with its upper floor collapsing on top.<\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) instructed gas company Cadent to investigate any possible leaks from outside the property but this was not the case.<\/p>\n The gas meter, boiler and piping were also tested and found to be safe.<\/p>\n The only abnormality found was damage to the cooker, owned by Mr Howard, which had its flexible gas pipe “stretched to capacity”.<\/p>\n Mr Trendowicz said this was the likely cause of the gas leak, with the likely cause for the ignition being the capacitator of the fridge\/freezer in the property being “ripped out”.<\/p>\n The fridge\/freezer was found away from where it would be ordinarily, the hearing was told.<\/p>\n Coroner Nathanael Hartley concluded Mr Howard’s cause of death as 1a asphyxia whilst entrapped beneath collapsed building debris and 2 heroin and cocaine use.<\/p>\n Mr Howard had low levels of the two drugs and alcohol in his blood at the time of his death, which could have led to “mild cognitive impairment”.<\/p>\n He had a history of mental health issues, having been diagnosed with PTSD and moderate depression in 2011, as well as a substance abuse misuse history, which he first reported in 2012.<\/p>\n Where to find help<\/p>\n The NHS Choices website<\/a> lists the following helplines and support networks for people to talk to.<\/p>\n Samaritans<\/a> (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org<\/a>.Childline<\/a> (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won’t show up on your phone bill.PAPYRUS<\/a> (0800 068 41 41) is an organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.Mind<\/a> (0300 123 3393) is a charity based in England providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.Students Against Depression<\/a> is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.Bullying UK<\/a> is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.<\/p>\n Mr Howard’s two daughters, Keeley and Lauren Howard, both attended the hearing but refused to comment on their father’s mental health or to describe him as a person when asked by coroner Hartley.<\/p>\n No notes were recovered from the property during the investigation, coroner Hartley said.<\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1_JAJ_TEM_270326Worksop_007JPG.jpg\")
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