Nottingham Builder Receives Suspended Sentence After Gas Explosion Injures Worker

Barry Newman, sole trader of Foster Brother Builders, was sentenced to a 12-month prison term suspended for two years, fined £2,000 in costs, and ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work after a gas explosion severely injured a worker during refurbishment in Bulwell, Nottingham. Newman had placed a faulty portable propane gas heater in a basement to dry out damp, but a leak led to a blast on November 22, 2022, causing severe burns to a 51-year-old man who has since been unable to work. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Newman failed to conduct a risk assessment and used inappropriate, poorly maintained equipment in a badly ventilated underground area, contrary to manufacturer guidelines that prohibit such use. The explosion caused significant property damage, debris was scattered onto the road, and nine nearby properties were evacuated. HSE Inspector Roy Poulter emphasized the severity of the case, warning it could have resulted in loss of life and stressing the importance of safety compliance in construction work. Newman pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court in June 2025.