Inquest into Corus blast deaths

Stephen Galsworthy, Andrew Hutin and Len Radford died in the blast

An inquest into the deaths of three men killed in an explosion at the Port Talbot Corus steelworks in 2001 is expected to begin on Monday.

Len Radford, from Maesteg, and Andrew Hutin and Stephen Galsworthy - both from Port Talbot - died in the blast.

The inquest is due to start at the Guildhall in Swansea.

A hearing was to have taken place last September but was postponed due to factors including delays with the health and safety investigation.

There were also difficulties finding a suitable location for the hearing.

Corus has admitted civil liability, but the coroner's office says that the Crown Prosecution Service and the Health and Safety Executive are still in consultation over whether the company or any individuals are to face criminal charges.

Three people died and 12 others were injured in the blast

Workers Andrew Hutin, 20, and Stephen Galsworthy, 25, died at the scene and 53-year-old Len Radford died days later from his injuries.

Five workers were also critically injured in the blast, which was the worst accident in the UK's steel industry for 26 years.

In 2003, the Health and Safety Executive published a report into the explosion which said its likely cause was water coming into contact with hot material in the furnace.

It found the explosion was so powerful, it had lifted the top half of the furnace up, which allowed about 200 tonnes of slag and molten metal, and a large volume of hot blast gases, to be ejected.

The blast furnace gas subsequently ignited and flames enveloped the furnace, the report said.

An initial report into the blast had revealed that approximately 48 hours beforehand, there had been problems caused by cooling water leaking into the furnace.