Man jailed after blowing up his house

A man who caused an explosion that destroyed his own home and damaged five neighbouring properties has been jailed.

Police said Paul Solway disconnected the gas main in the basement and then set fire to a chair in his kitchen to cause the blast at the terraced house in Eden Street, Alvaston, Derby, in June 2025.

He was jailed for 11 years at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday.

Emergency services were called to a suspected gas explosion at Solway's home on the evening of 10 June.

The blast caused major damage to the property and two neighbouring buildings which subsequently had to be demolished.

Derbyshire Police said investigations found the explosion was deliberate and had been caused by the ignition of natural gas following deliberate tampering with the gas supply main.

After disconnecting the gas main in the basement of the house, Solway then set fire to a chair in the kitchen which caused the gas to ignite, the force said.

Solway was the only person in the property at the time and suffered severe burns, with a dog also rescued from the rubble.

Six further counts of damaging property with intent to endanger life were left on file by the prosecution.

Speaking outside Derby Crown Court, Insp Ben Wildman, local policing inspector for the east of the city, said the explosion had a "huge impact" on the community.

"The explosion in Eden Street on 10 June last year was caused by Paul Solway's decision to cut the gas pipe in his home," he said.

"This incident not only left him seriously injured in hospital but had a huge impact on the residents and the community of Eden Street and the surrounding area."

Wildman added that Solway's actions were "selfish and reckless".

"Many people were forced to leave their homes for several days and two adjoining houses to Solway's were so badly damaged they had to be demolished," he said.

"I cannot begin to imagine the distress these families felt at the time and the ongoing impact this is having on them all through no fault of their own.

"To have that taken away from them is devastating and even more so when it was down to an incident like this – a wholly avoidable, selfish and reckless act carried out by Paul Solway.

"I know this incident caused a great deal of destruction and distress but by working together we were able to make sure that everyone affected was well looked after.

"I hope everyone is now able to look forward to the future and I'm pleased that Solway is now facing the consequences of his dangerous and careless actions on this day."