A MAN has appeared in court in connection with an explosion that rocked a Dunfermline street last year.

Anthony Alari, 36, of Castleblair Park, admitted several charges at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday after the incident which happened in Dewar Street on July 3, 2021.

He admitted culpably and recklessly attempting to produce honey butane oil, also known as 'hash oil', causing an explosion endangering the lives of himself and the occupants of adjoining properties.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of producing cannabis at the property and had his sentence deferred for the production of background reports until June 6.

Emergency services raced to Dewar Street last summer after the explosion which resulted in thick flames pouring out of Alari's top-floor flat at around 2pm.

Eleven fire appliances from across Fife, Edinburgh and Glasgow attended at the scene to extinguish the inferno, with a number of people having to be evacuated from their homes.

It had initially been believed that the explosion had been caused by gas and a joint investigation from Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service followed.

Alari was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston for treatment following the incident.

Days after the explosion, neighbour Calum McKinlay told the Press he first thought a car had smashed into his building.

“I’m actually lucky to be alive; because it was such a heavy explosion, if it hadn’t been on Dewar Street with the old, Victorian buildings, the whole thing could have come down," he said.

"If it was new-builds or an unstable building it could have been so much worse.

"We were just getting ready to go out as it was a nice afternoon. Luckily, we had both made our lunch so we weren’t in the kitchen at the time. If we had been, it would have been a very different story."

Garry Haldane, a local councillor at the time, said the incident could have been a lot more serious.

"The building did not have enough damage to cause a collapse as we have seen in other areas where gas explosions have occurred," he said.

"It must have been very concerning for the neighbours not knowing what had happened. I am so glad everyone is ok."