A man arrested on suspicion of murder following a house explosion in Worksop has been released with no further action following a police investigation.
Emergency services were called to John Street at 7.39pm on April 12 after an explosion inside a house and a major incident was declared.
Officers recovered the body of a man from under debris following the blast.
Despite the best efforts of the responding emergency services, 53-year-old David Howard died at the scene.
Emergency workers at the scene in Worksop
As part of their inquiries, a 43-year-old man was arrested and questioned on suspicion of murder. He has since been released with no further action after the police investigation found no evidence of any third-party involvement in Mr Howard’s death.
The family of the victim have been informed and continue to be supported by specially trained officers.
Detective Inspector Matt Scott, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“We’ve treated this incident with the utmost seriousness, to ensure we have done everything we can to understand what happened.
“After detailed examination of the available information, we do not believe there is any evidence of criminal wrongdoing at this point.
“As a result, the arrested man has been released with no further action and we will now be preparing a report for the coroner.
“Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family at this very difficult time.”
Bassetlaw’s neighbourhood policing team’s Inspector Robert Harrison has provided an update on how they have progressed on tackling crime across the district during and April and what the priorities will over the next three months.
Inspector Harrison said: “This is the first of a series of regular updates to inform residents about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and the impact we are having across our communities.
“I’ll also be highlighting some great work by your local officers and informing you about significant local trends and anything else I think you need to be aware of.
PICTURED: Inspector Robert Harrison
Current priorities in Bassetlaw
The inspector said: “I’d like to remind you about our key local policing priorities, which are agreed quarterly after consultation with the public and local partners.”
antisocial behaviour and crime in Worksop town centre
Rural crime in East Bassetlaw
Actions on our priorities
ASB and crime in Worksop town centre
Inspector Harrison said: “Over the past few months, I have received numerous complaints about antisocial behaviour and crime in the town centre.
“We’re talking here about things like shop thefts, public drinking and drug use, and the inevitable antisocial behaviour that comes with it.
“We know that many of these offences are being committed by a relatively small group of people living with some very complex needs like substance addiction and mental ill-health.
“Whilst we sympathise with people who are struggling and will continue to work with partners to ensure they are getting the help they need, we absolutely will not tolerate the kind of behaviour we have been seeing in the town centre.”
“I want Worksop to be a pleasant place to live in, work in, and visit, and will not allow a small number of people to damage the town in the way they have been,” he said.
“That’s why we’ve increased the number of local foot patrols over recent weeks and have been very assertive in the way we deal with these individuals.
“To this end we have made multiple arrests, returned prolific offenders to prison, and brought several suspects to court.”
Inspector Harrison said residents and retailers can expect to see an enhanced police presence going over the summer and want them to make contact if they see issues or behaviours of concern.
“I would ask them to contact us without delay,” he said.
“We are also working to secure criminal behaviour orders (CBOs) against some of our most prolific offenders. These orders allow us to prevent people from entering certain areas of the town and from doing certain things – such as entering shops in possession of bags. Any breaches are themselves a criminal offence and will quickly land offenders in prison and off he streets.
“These orders have been used to good effect elsewhere and we expect to see similarly positive results in Worksop.”
Drug supply
Drug dealing and drug related offending are major drivers for the anti-social behaviour issues I have updated on,” the inspector said.
“Many of the anti-social behaviour offenders are both using and selling illegal drugs on our streets. Most of those people are not major players in the drug market, but they are a public nuisance, and they are damaging our town.
“We have been disrupting that behaviour in exactly the same way we’ve been tackling anti social behaviour – with boots on the ground and a concerted effort to get up close and personal with offenders.
“Our council colleagues are also proving a great help with their comprehensive CCTV coverage, which is being shared in real time with officers on the ground. This approach recently led to the jailing of a prolific local offender who was caught in the act of dealing drugs.
“Local intelligence also led us to execute a warrant in Knanton Road on April 23, which uncovered a significant cannabis grow and has led to criminal charges for two suspects. A further warrant was executed at an address on Lincoln Street on April 24 where two suspects were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.
“For obvious reasons I will not share the details here, but Bassetlaw Today readers can also expect to see a few more doors going in over the next few weeks as we execute more court warrants.”
Rural crime in East Bassetlaw
In his update, The Inspector said: “A huge part of Nottinghamshire’s rural community call Bassetlaw their home, and we have continuously welcomed an open dialogue with our farmers and residents so we can understand what issues they are facing, and what we can do as their local police team to crack down on rural crime.
“Some key problems we are working hard to target include off-road bikes and quads, theft and poaching. We want to reassure you all that we take rural crime extremely seriously, and we are working with other teams across the force – including our road bike team, drone team and roads policing – to run targeted cross border operations. We’ve also helped secure farmer’s sites recently.”
“I also want to take this time to highlight our rural crime and wildlife officers that you will find working hard in each of our neighbourhood policing teams. We are continuing to invest in training for them and we encourage anyone with any concerns or questions to get in touch.”
John Street explosion
“As you will all be aware, Worksop was the scene was a major incident last month when a house exploded in John Street, damaging several neighbouring properties and claiming the life of man who was later recovered from the wreckage.
PICTURED: The house on John Street after the explosion (PHOTO: Notts Police)
“As investigations into what happened continue, I would thank all the members of the neighbourhood policing team who worked so hard in the aftermath of this incident to identify witnesses and maintain the scene. That was very labour-intensive work and had a considerable impact on many of the other things we have wanted to do over the last few weeks.”
Work has begun to demolish properties at the site of a fatal house explosion in Worksop.
Bassetlaw District Council’s Chief Executive, David Armiger confirmed that work had started on Monday (28) after a Nottinghamshire Police search of the site ended.
Emergency services were called to John Street at 7.39pm on April 12 after an explosion inside a house.
The terraced home was destroyed and significant damage was also caused to neighbouring properties.
The body of David Howard, 53, was later discovered in the wreckage. Despite the best efforts of the responding emergency services, he died at the scene.
In a statement, Mr Armiger said: “On Friday, Nottinghamshire police concluded their crime scene investigation at the site of the explosion on John Street, Worksop, but the wider investigation continues. It means the site has now been handed over to Bassetlaw District Council’s Building Control Team.
“The site cordon has now been significantly reduced and will remain in place for the next few days to cover the final demolition and clearance works to the properties at 24, 26 and 28 John Street. Once this work is completed, we will board and secure access to the site, with only the pavement outside these street numbers remaining closed.
“Our Building Control Team continue to liaise with affected residents and their insurance companies as well, ensuring that it is safe for people to return to their homes. We recommend that all properties undergo gas and electric checks as well as a further structural survey.
“The weeks following the explosion have been a very difficult and challenging time for the residents of John Street, including those outside the cordon who have all had their lives and daily routines upended. I would like to thank everybody for their patience and understanding during this time.
He added: “Finally, our thoughts remain with the friends and family of David Howard who sadly lost his life.”
Fourteen households are still unable to return home after a fatal explosion in Worksop.
John Street in the town was closed and dozens of homes evacuated following the blast inside a terraced house on the evening of April 12.
The body of a man, later identified as 53-year-old David Howard, was discovered in the debris.
Another man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder and bailed.
David Armiger, chief executive of Bassetlaw District Council, told Notts TV three homes – including the one involved in the explosion and the two neighbouring properties – must now be demolished.
Due to an ongoing police cordon and structural surveys, there are also still 14 households unable to return home and no timescale has yet been given for when the all-clear will be given.
“The situation has moved on quite a lot but there is still significant impact on a number of residents,” Mr Armiger said in an interview on Wednesday (April 23).
“As things stand at the moment there are approximately 14 households unable to return to their properties because they are within the cordon.
“In the first instance we made arrangements for up to 50 residents to seek accommodation on the Saturday and Sunday nights just after the explosion. That has reduced over time as most people have been able to return to their households.
“We have had support in place both for the 14 households that are still unable to return, but also for other residents who want to seek support, working with agencies like Nottinghamshire County Council, British Red Cross, and health services, to really try to see what needs people have and to make sure we can support them in any way they do need.
“Some residents need access to food and clothing because they can’t get back into their properties, others just want to talk to somebody or need to be able to get new medication, so there has been a range of support packages put in place.”
Mr Armiger said the cost of the support to the council is not yet known, but said he expects it to be limited.
“One of the key things now is in most cases the accommodation is being provided by the insurance companies or by landlords, because a number of the properties are rented, so the direct impact on the council is fairly limited.
“The three properties are clearly going to be demolished and there is some significant damage to one or two of the other properties as well, so it may well take some time for those to be repaired.
“They may well be looking at long-term alternative accommodation. I do know quite a number of landlords have already done that for a number of the impacted residents.”
An investigation is ongoing to establish the exact cause of the explosion.
Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow, who is leading the investigation, added: “Our thoughts remain with David’s loved ones at this extremely difficult time.
“Whilst we have made an arrest, I want to be really clear that our investigation remains at a very early stage and we are doing everything possible to establish what caused this deeply tragic incident.
“It remains too early to say whether there is a criminal element to this case and would ask that people avoid speculation.
“Our inquiries are continuing and I would further ask anyone with information who is yet to come forward to please contact us as soon as possible.”
Bassetlaw District Council’s chief executive David Armiger has provided an update on the situation at John Street in Worksop following a fatal house explosion where a local man sadly lost his life.
Emergency services were called to John Street at 7.39pm on April 12 following an explosion inside a house and a major incident was declared.
Despite the best efforts of the responding emergency services, 53-year-old David Howard died at the scene.
Mr Armiger said: “On Saturday evening, one of our communities experienced a tragic and traumatic event, an explosion at a house in Worksop.
“I’d like to thank the emergency services, specialist recovery teams and the wide number of agencies who were quick to respond, and for the work they have done in the days since to support the people who have been directly affected, and the wider community.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of David Howard who sadly lost his life.
“I would also like to thank residents and the local community for their patience and compassion during this time. We understand how difficult it is live through this experience, and I would like to reassure you that support is available should you need it.”
He also offered an update around people returning to their homes following the blast.
“The majority of people living on or around John Street were able to return to their homes on Sunday evening and Monday morning,” he said.
“This incident now directly affects 14 households who are not currently able to return to their homes, all of whom continue to be supported with emergency accommodation either by ourselves, their insurers or their landlords.
“We are also co-ordinating support from local charities and agencies who are providing these residents with food, clothing and other items. We will continue to work with local agencies to ensure that these people receive the support and advice they need during this difficult time.
“There are currently three properties that have significant structural damage and will need to be demolished. There are also a number of other homes that have also been impacted by the explosion and Bassetlaw District Council’s Building Surveyors will continue to assess the safety of these buildings.
“Due to the ongoing investigation by Nottinghamshire Police, and the challenging process to make the impacted buildings safe, we are not able to provide a definitive timescale on how long residents may be out of their homes.
“We have spoken to these residents to update them on the latest situation and will be providing them with an opportunity to briefly and safely return to their homes to collect some essential items and belongings in the near future.
“The ongoing response to this incident is constantly evolving, and again, I would like to thank residents and the wider community for their patience and understanding during this difficult time.”
A new fundraising page has been set up to aid the Worksop community impacted when a house exploded on their road over the weekend.
The gofundme page has been created by Sophie Louise to raise cash for families who lost their homes in the blast on John Street.
An introduction on the page by Sophie reads: “In order to help the devastated families that have lost their homes due to the explosion on John Street I have started this fundraiser and hopefully as a community we can all come together to create a fund to help them purchase things that they are going to need in the meantime until their homes are rebuilt or they are able to relocate to a new property.
Emergency services were called to John Street at 7.39pm on April 12 after an explosion inside a house and a major incident was declared.
Despite the best efforts of the responding emergency services, 53-year-old David Howard died at the scene. His next-of-kin are continuing to be supported by specially trained officers.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear and officers are keeping an open mind at this early stage in their investigation.
Emergency services at the scene on of the explosion to John Street 53-year-old David Howard died at the scene
As part of their inquiries, a 43-year-old man was arrested and questioned on suspicion of murder. He since been bailed pending further investigation work into the cause of the explosion.
Detective Ruby Burrow, of Nottinghamshire Police and who is leading the investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with David’s loved ones at this extremely difficult time.
“Whilst we have made an arrest, I want to be really clear that our investigation remains at a very early stage and we are doing everything possible to establish what caused this deeply tragic incident.
“It remains too early to say whether there is a criminal element to this case and would ask that people avoid speculation.
“Our inquiries are continuing and I would further ask anyone with information who is yet to come forward to please contact us as soon as possible.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact 101 quoting incident 612 of 12 April 2025.
Bassetlaw District Council’s leader Councillor Julie Leigh has praised the efforts of the emergency services following a fatal explosion at a Workop home.
Councillor Julie Leigh said: “We have all been shocked and concerned by yesterday’s incident on John Street in Worksop, which has had a huge impact on this community.
“I would like to offer my condolences to the family and friends of the man who has sadly lost his life and offer my sympathy to everyone who has been affected by this tragic incident.
PICTURED: David Howard, who lost his life in a house explosion in Worksop
“I’d like to praise the swift actions of the emergency services and other agencies whose quick response has prevented any further loss of life. The painstaking search and rescue operation also ensured that wider residents of John Street and the surrounding area are safe and accounted for.
“In the time since this incident, officers from Bassetlaw District Council have been working tirelessly with other partners to ensure that families and individuals who have been evacuated from their homes have a safe place to stay.
“Around 50 people from 35 properties were evacuated, many of whom were able to be supported by family and friends.
“Last night, we were able to secure accommodation for nine households, while others were given emergency shelter overnight at Crown Place Community Centre.
“Our officers have been working hard again today and have found hotel and temporary accommodation for all those who have requested assistance as they cannot return to their homes this evening.
“As such, we have closed the emergency shelter for tonight and over the coming days will continue to work closely with Nottinghamshire County Council to support those directly affected, in addition to vulnerable people living close by who have been affected by the current loss of power.
“Officers from our Building Control Team also continue to work closely with the Emergency Services and provide specialist advice on the structural safety of the properties that have been affected by this explosion.
“I would like to advise all residents to continue to follow the advice of the emergency services and not to approach the scene until advised that it is safe to do so by the relevant authorities.”
