Machine fault caused horrific explosion which killed woman

A FAULT in a machine caused a horrific explosion which claimed a Swansea woman's life and created panic in a neighbouring gym as radiators blew off walls and rubble rained down on a car park.

- CONOR GOGARTY

We have obtained a South Wales Fire Service report into the explosion at Treforest Industrial Estate, Rhondda Cynon Taf, in December 2023.

Danielle Evans, 40, was crushed to death following the explosion at one of the units in Rizla House, the building where she worked.

The report reveals for the first time that the explosion originated from a unit rented by towels wholesaler Bursali Towels (UK) Ltd.

It identifies the cause as a "fault" in a Turkish-made calendar press machine used for transferring designs onto fabrics.

At the time, people in the industrial estate described their fear as they fled to escape the fire only to find the car park blocked by falling masonry.

The death of Mrs Evans, from Gorseinon in Swansea, who was described by her family as "the best friend anyone could hope for", is still being investigated by police.

She was a director of Celtic Food Laboratories, which specialised in the microbial testing of food and occupied one of the 13 commercial units at the 60,000 sq ft Rizla House.

Mrs Evans, who had spent years working "tirelessly" to make the business a success, was in the building at 7pm on December 13, 2023, when the explosion happened.

The fire report, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, says the faulty appliance was a Diferro calendar press with a sealed drum containing oil which heated up and ignited.

The UK Government issued a safety alert in April last year warning that three of the Istanbul-based firm's calendar press products posed "a serious risk of fire and explosion" a move we understand to have been prompted by the findings of the Treforest investigation.

Nathan Buckley, solicitor for Bursali Towels, said: "There's no suggestion by the police or the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) whatsoever that Bursali or any of its employees have done anything wrong. It's a design flaw in respect of the machine itself.