### Loud Bang Reverberates Across Swansea as University Carries Out Controlled Chemical Explosion
Residents in the Swansea area were left startled on Thursday afternoon after a sudden, thunderous bang was heard several miles from its apparent source. The explosion, which caused both confusion and concern throughout neighbourhoods around Singleton, was later identified as a deliberate, controlled detonation carried out at Swansea University.
According to various eyewitness reports, the noise echoed across a significant radius, prompting many locals to speculate about its origins. Emergency services were quick to clarify, however, that there was no cause for alarm; the blast came as part of a specialist operation to safely dispose of a hazardous chemical identified by university staff.
The chemical responsible, formal name Dinitrophenol (DNP), is both highly volatile and, in certain states, explosive. DNP was uncovered as part of an ongoing routine audit of materials held at Swansea University’s Singleton campus. Upon this discovery, staff at the university promptly notified South Wales Police at around 1pm on the afternoon of 15 May.
Authorities explained that, given the chemical’s dangerous properties, it was essential to involve the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) response unit, alongside Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists. As a safety measure, university buildings within the vicinity were evacuated prior to the disposal operation. This allowed the teams to safely handle and ultimately destroy the substance without putting the public at risk.
Swansea University issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to robust health and safety procedures. A spokesperson expressed that the substance was located during a “proactive audit”, and that the response was swift and coordinated. Importantly, the university emphasised there had been “no risk or disruption” caused to students, staff, or the broader campus community during the event. University safety, security, and resilience teams were actively involved in the process, helping police and bomb disposal experts carry out the operation.
The incident, while alarming to those who heard the explosion, is not a unique occurrence for the university. In 2016, a comparable event unfolded on the same campus. That earlier incident also concerned the discovery and removal of dangerous chemicals, necessitating an evacuation and controlled detonation at Singleton.
The issue of legacy chemicals—substances left from former scientific work or activities—continues to be a challenge for educational institutions around the country. Some chemicals, like DNP, may have been innocently stored decades ago, only for modern audits to reveal their hazardous nature. Swansea University’s proactive audit approach highlights the increasing scrutiny placed on chemical inventories in higher education.
This event is not isolated to Swansea’s university alone. For example, in October 2016, emergency teams were deployed to Gower College’s Gorseinon campus, also in Swansea, following a chemical-related incident that led to the evacuation of premises as a precaution.
For local residents, the experience served as an unexpected reminder of the hidden complexities within academic environments. While routine for those trained to deal with chemical hazards, such operations are a stark contrast to everyday life in Swansea’s typically quiet suburbs.
South Wales Police have praised the swift and organised reaction of university authorities and specialist teams, reiterating that the sound heard by residents was the result of a tightly-controlled process to ensure public safety. Meanwhile, Swansea University is reviewing its procedures and communication strategies, aiming to reassure residents and prevent undue concern in similar future events.
As protocols for storage and disposal of hazardous substances tighten across the UK, universities and colleges are likely to face further scrutiny and will need to adopt best practices to keep both students and the local community safe.