BLAST HORROR; Inquest hears car fire led to gas explosion.

Byline: LUCY THORNTON

A WOMAN suffered fatal injuries in a massive gas explosion just hours after firefighters had given her the all clear to return home, an inquest heard yesterday.

Retired clerical assistant Margaret Wilson, 69 and her husband Leonard, 77, had evacuated their home after a car fire erupted outside their end-of-terrace house.

But after firefighters doused the stolen car on the pavement the couple were told they could return home and open windows to let the smoke out, the hearing was told.

A passing policeman later saw the fatal blast lift the entire roof off the house and drop it back into place.

Mrs Wilson died eight weeks later from multi-organ failure due to severe burns.

Before she died at Wakefield's Pinderfields Hospital, Mrs Wilson gave an account of the explosion on March 4 last year at Tontine Cottage in Thurgoland, near Barnsley.

Her husband, who was also burnt but survived the blast, had phoned the fire brigade after finding a stolen Vauxhall Astra on fire on the pavement outside at 4.15am.

From her hospital bed, Mrs Wilson, who suffered 30 per cent burns, said: "The heat was colossal. I thought if the petrol tank went, all my windows would go."

The couple sought refuge with neighbours Graham and Brenda Worsdale until the fire was out.

Mrs Wilson said: "A fireman came to Brenda's and said the fire was out and there was a bit of smoke but if we opened the windows it would be all right. The fireman said it was safe to go back to our house."

The couple went home and at about 6am Mrs Wilson turned on her gas cooker to fry some bacon. But there was a "puff like a car backfiring" and she singed her hair and dressing gown - but suffered no serious injuries. Her husband called Mr Worsdale, who turned off the gas supply while Mrs Wilson decided to go and switch off the boiler thermostat upstairs.

She said: "It just went 'boom.' There were flames and plaster falling and my nightie was on fire. My first thought was that I didn't want to die in a fireball."

Mr Wilson said: "It blew me through the main door at the back of the house." Although burned, Mr Wilson grabbed hold of his wife and took her outside.

Sheffield coroner Chris Dorries said: "It was found a gas inlet pipe was damaged by radiated heat from the car fire."

The hearing continues.

CAPTION(S):

SCENE Tontine cottage, Thurgoland BURNS Mrs Wilson