11/08/2025
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Temple Garden Chambers is a leading common law set based in London and The Hague.
With excellence from top to bottom Chambers provides a first class service in a number of different fields.
Temple Garden Chambers is a leading common law set based in London and The Hague.
With excellence from top to bottom Chambers provides a first class service in a number of different fields.
14/11/2025
On 19 September 2024, a gas explosion in CB’s home caused her to suffer 90-95% burns and for large parts of the family home to collapse around her as she escaped the explosion. CB was airlifted to hospital where tragically she died from her injuries on 20 September 2024.
Daniel acted for the gas engineer who installed the boiler in CB’s property in May 2022.
The Inquest heard evidence in relation to the installation of the boiler. During a warranty check in January 2023, the manufacturer’s gas engineer identified a number of faults with the initial installation, including incorrect piping being used, faulty wiring, an incorrect fuse being used and their being a faulty heat exchanger. The boiler was issued with an ‘at risk’ notice at that time.
The jury heard evidence from the family of CB, Kent Police, Kent Fire & Rescue Service, the manufacturer’s gas engineer, the installing gas engineer, and the HSE Specialist Gas Inspector. The evidence considered whether the initial installation caused the gas explosion which caused CB’s death.
At the conclusion of the evidence, Daniel made legal submissions to HM Area Coroner Hepburn. Daniel submitted that there was an insufficiency of evidence for any causative finding relating to the installation of the boiler to be left to the jury.
HMC Hepburn agreed and determined that there was insufficient evidence for the jury to return any causative findings in relation to the installation of the boiler and CB’s death.
On 7 November 2025, the jury returned its Conclusion. The jury found that CB died from “injuries sustained due to an explosion at her home” with the leak resulting from a “dislodged pipe underneath the boiler” that was ignited by an unknown source.
The jury concluded that CB’s death was Accidental.
No adverse findings were made against the gas engineer.
Daniel Walker was instructed by Michael Appleby from Fisher Scoggins Waters (FSW).
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