Pictured: Elderly couple, 84 and 90, who had been killed in an explosion at their south Wales dwelling

An elderly couple who were killed when their south Wales home was destroyed by an explosion have been pictured for the first time.

Marlene Mumford, 84, and William Mumford, 90, died in the housefire in Nelson, Caerphilly county, inquests heard.

A blast was heard in the pensioners’ garden at 5.10pm on December 12 and the fire brigade rushed to the scene.

Emergency services battled the flames but struggled to get into their house because the fire had so badly damaged the building they were worried it would collapse.

William, a former coalminer, was found dead alongside Marlene, who had previously worked in a factory, when firefighters finally managed to get into their home on Heol Fawr.

Forensics had to identify their bodies by looking at the DNA from their remains.

Senior coroner Caroline Saunders said a post-mortem found the provisional cause of death for both of them was ‘exposure to combustion products of fire’ – breathing in smoke – at separate inquest openings at Gwent Coroner’s Court heard on Monday.

Investigations continue, but the coroner said there were ‘no suspicious circumstances and no suspected third party involvement.’

William Mumford, 90, and Marlene Mumford, 84, were pronounced dead in their home after an explosion and house fire

Emergency services struggled to get into the house as the fire raged on and had badly damaged the structure

Their final inquest hearing was adjourned to October 7 while the police finish their probe into the deaths.

Their case is being held as a joinder inquest – separate inquests where the same evidence is heard, WalesOnline said.

Firefighters from the South West Fire and Rescue Service fought the inferno with two hose reel jets, one main jet and thermal imagery cameras. Eight breathing apparatuses were used.

The couple were well-liked in the village and the local community has been raising money for a memorial bench, WalesOnline reported.