Bedford explosion: MP demands answers as mayor describes blame game as 'million-dollar question'

An MP has demanded answers over an explosion which killed two people and forced dozens of families out of their homes for more than two weeks.

A detached house was wrecked in the blast at Cleat Hill in Bedford on 19 October, whichkilled Paul Swales, 85. Julia Harris, 84, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries but died on 29 October.

People from 50 households that were evacuated are still unable to return to their homes, which some have described as "tedious".

Investigations are being carried out by police, fire and the Health and Safety Executive but so far no conclusions have been made public - with the Mayor of Bedford calling responsibility for the blast the "million-dollar question".

Richard Fuller MP, the member for North Bedfordshire, said he was concerned about the potential links between an earlier leakage of natural gas at Cleat Hill in the summer and the blast on 19 October.

Contractors drilling down into the soil to create a ground-source heat pump in summer bored into a natural gas reservoir, releasing the gas.

Mr Fuller told ITV News Anglia: "It would seem to be quite an unusual coincidence if they were two separate incidents.

"It's clear there was leakage of gas and it's clear there was a temporary solution in place to vent gas out of the deposits under Cleat Hill, and that for a number of days before the explosion there was fluid and other things coming out of the pipe suggesting that something was amiss."

"Why is it that the solutions put in place don't appear to have worked and have ended with two tragic deaths?"

Mr Fuller is hoping to get a debate in the House of Commons to discuss the issue and is concerned that people may not "feel safe to go back to their homes given they were given the all-clear in July."

He is also concerned about the future safety of drilling works, and wants to see more regulation, a concern that has been backed up by the heat-pump industry.

When can residents return to their homes?

An investigation was launched after the blast but residents are still waiting to find out when they can go home.

All have been allowed back to pick up possessions under supervision, but are still staying elsewhere.

While they are grateful for the council's support, some are beginning to lose patience with the length of time they have been away from home.

Diana Johnson, one of the residents, said: “None of us thought it would be going on this long. It’s just becoming tedious. We want some answers, we want a timescale."

She said she hoped a meeting on Monday night would provide clarity as "it’s going on a bit too long for us”.

Monitors have been set up in the ground and in the air at the site to test for gas.

Mayor Tom Wootton said: "The main thing is people have got to be safe, and if you're moving back into your house you've got to be safe."

Bedford Borough Council said its support had included offering temporary emergency accommodation to 31 households, financial support, and a 24-hour emergency helpline.

It has also opened up parts of Borough Hall for people to work from.

Whose fault is it?

Mr Wootton described this as the "million-dollar question", saying that police, fire, and the Health and Safety Executive were carrying out a thorough investigation but no conclusions had yet been reached.

The mayor said the company which had carried out the work had "done a thousand of the boreholes and never had a problem".

Nicholls Boreholes, which was carrying out the work, declined to comment.

Mr Wootton added: "It's a real alphabet soup of who's responsible for what because you can just dig one of these boreholes in your garden and they don't even have to notify the planning or anybody - there is a problem there in the regulations and we'll be examining that."

Mr Fuller said tens of thousands of heat pumps had been installed and as far as he knew it was first time gas at this level had been discovered.

Did the blast have any connection with what happened in July?

This is the key question for Mr Fuller, who is pushing for answers from the authorities.

Some residents had to leave their homes as a precaution in July after natural gas was detected by the company installing a ground-source heat pump.

Contractors installing a ground-source heat pump bored into a natural gas reservoir, releasing the gas.

Work was carried out to cap the leak before people were allowed to return to their homes.

The investigation will examine any links between what happened then and the explosion in October.

What about house insurance for the people at Cleat Hill?

Mr Fuller said he would be asking questions of government to see if help could be given to families who have been affected. He said families were concerned about renewing their premiums.

He said the British Insurance Association had been in touch with people in the area was and providing advice.

Mr Fuller added: "This is the first time to my knowledge that this has occurred I think there are more questions for our insurers and also government to see if they can help with this."

Could a similar incident happen again in the future?

Industry bodies said they were determined to learn lessons from what had happened.

The Ground Source Heat Pump Association said it was "deeply saddened" by the tragic loss of Mr Swales and Ms Harris.

A spokesman said it was essential to understand the circumstances which had led to the incident.

He added: "We will work closely with all relevant parties to examine how this occurred and learn from this tragic situation. We have received questions about the presence of gas in boreholes. To the best of our knowledge, this is an extremely rare occurrence."

A British Drilling Association spokesperson said that it was also “deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of Paul Swales and Julia Harris”.

The spokesperson added: “We support the calls by local MP Richard Fuller for enhanced regulations and control measures in all forms of ground drilling, including water wells, ground investigation, ground source energy and piling. The BDA has long advocated for increased safety and technical standards within the drilling industry.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know