BBC presenter and wife survive after bio-ethanol heater explodes, burning home near Cardiff

A veteran BBC presenter and his wife were left with serious burns after a bio-ethanol heater exploded in their living room, igniting a blaze that gutted their three-storey home on Penarth Marina, near Cardiff.

Angela, 59, was blown across the room by the force of the blast, her hair catching fire and her face boiling hot. The couple escaped and watched in horror from their garden as their house burned, then were taken to hospital for treatment at a specialist burns unit.

The incident unfolded when Angela had just returned home from work and was feeling the early autumn chill. Nick Palit, 60, fronted BBC Wales Today and had lit the smokeless bio-ethanol heater to warm the living room. The device had been bought five years ago and used regularly without incident, but on this occasion it began smoking. To be safe, Nick tried to shut it down; flames were still visible as Angela fetched a damp cloth and Nick opened a window. Then it exploded, throwing Angela off her feet. They dialled 999 from outside as they watched their house, a six-year residence, become engulfed by a large orange fireball.

"We were really lucky to both get out alive. Another 30 seconds and we'd have been hit by the fireball," Nick said, reflecting on the ordeal. "I've covered fires and explosions during my career but to be caught up in something like that was dreadful." The house was destroyed, and a staircase was left obliterated as flames raged through the property.

Nick Palit, who also worked as an extra on TV's Casualty after retiring from the BBC newsroom four years ago, later used social media to thank family and friends for their support. He said: "We've been overwhelmed and humbled by the kindness, care and love of family, friends and neighbours - thanks to all of you we will get through this."

The couple, who have five children, were treated at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff before being transferred to a specialist burns unit at Morriston hospital in Swansea. They have since moved into a nearby vacant rental property while their insurer assesses the damage. They were also hit with a theft when thieves stole four e-bikes from a garden shed after the home was evacuated.

Bio-ethanol heaters are marketed as a clean, renewable energy source and are designed to provide a real flame, but safety experts caution that any such device can pose fire risks if used improperly or malfunctioning. The family said they will seek guidance and precautions to prevent further incidents as they recover from their injuries.