Retired engineer dies in Porthcawl campervan fire

At the time of the fire neighbours reported hearing ‘loud bangs’ before emergency services found a body inside the campervan

A retired engineer died in a fire which sparked a police investigation, an inquest has found. Darren John Edwards, 60, was identified as the man whose body was found in a burnt out campervan following a serious fire near Porthcawl seafront last year.

Residents reported hearing “loud bangs” before emergency services found a body inside a campervan on Mackworth Road after the alarm was raised in the early hours of August 28, 2025. Forensic investigations were carried out at the scene, with South Wales Police initially treating the death as “unexplained”. Officers were unable to identify the body for some time.

An inquest has now concluded the death was an accident which is believed to have started with a gas camping stove. Mr Edwards had also consumed high levels of alcohol which likely impacted upon his alertness to the fire, an investigation found.

Pontypridd Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Edwards, a retired engineer from Newport, was living in the campervan at the the time of his death and spent much of his time visiting different locations in Wales.

In late August he had spent a number of nights sleeping in the vehicle in the Porthcawl area, the inquest heard.

Emergency services were called to what was described as a “fire incident” involving multiple vehicles in Mackworth Road. Once the fire was extinguished, emergency personnel found a deceased person inside one of the vehicles.

The road was cordoned off while investigations were carried out to determine the circumstances surrounding the fire.

The inquest was told the campervan was later identified as belonging to Mr Edwards and it was his body which was recovered from the campervan.

The origin of the fire was likely a gas camping stove, the inquest heard.

A post mortem examination identified that Mr Edwards died as a result of smoke inhalation. He had also consumed high levels of alcohol which the inquest heard likely impacted upon his alertness and response to the fire.

The medical cause of death was given as 1a, smoke inhalation, and 2, alcohol toxicity.

Area Coroner Patricia Morgan concluded that the death was an accident.

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