Couple Suffered Serious Burns In Explosion In 2011

By Rob Dixon

A plumber from Lincolnshire has been given a suspending prison sentence and ordered to carry out unpaid work after he admitted breaching regulations following an incident in which a couple suffered burns in an explosion at home.

Daniel George Hickling, trading as DGH Plumbing and Heating, was hired by the couple in 2011 to reduce the height of two redundant gas pipes in a kitchen which was being converted into a living room at their property in Nettleton.

However, the unnamed couple were injured when they switched the gas supply on and, after smelling gas, tried to find the source of the leak.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the plumber was not registered with Gas Safe or qualified to carry out the work involved. It is thought he damaged one of the pipes during the excavation of part of the floor.

Irwin Mitchell specialises in providing support to those left seriously injured in gas explosions both at work and in other locations, notably representing victims from the Salford gas blast three years ago.

Sally Rissbrook, a lawyer with expertise in such cases, said: “Gas safety is such an important issue but time and time again we see incidents in which steps have not been taken to ensure people are protected from potential risks.

“It is vital that people recognise the importance of getting work carried out by specialists who are qualified to undertake such projects, while we would urge tradesmen to always ensure they have the right skills to do a job both effectively and safely.

“Through our work, we have seen how gas blasts can have such terrible consequences for victims, leaving them with psychological and physical trauma from which they never fully recover. Safety must always come first in situations where gas is involved.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Burns, Scars and Laceration Claims