Stephen Galsworthy, Andrew Hutin, and Len Radford died

Furnace manager Joseph Gallacher is the most senior worker to have given evidence to the hearing at Swansea's Guildhall into the deaths in 2001.

He told the court senior managers at Corus in Port Talbot had discussed the furnace, but were satisfied with it.

Len Radford, 53, Stephen Galsworthy, 25, and Andrew Hutin, 20, were killed.

I would not be here if I had been five seconds later Steelworker Antony Williams

The inquest jury has previously heard that high hydrogen levels had been measured in the furnace, indicating water was leaking into it, in the three hours before the meeting took place.

The inquest heard on Monday that, by the time the managers had met to review the situation, levels had returned to normal and they were satisfied any problems had been located and solved.

On Monday, the inquest also heard from a plant operator whose life was saved because he went to the toilet shortly before blast furnace number five blew up.

Twelve other workers were injured when the furnace exploded

Antony Williams, who described the blast as being like an "atomic bomb going off", was a friend of Mr Galsworthy's and had been discussing the problems with the furnace with him.

He left the spot seconds before the explosion to go to the toilet but was still burned in the shower of molten metal.

"I had just left him at 5.15pm. I was a bit desperate for the toilet and I said I had to go," Mr Williams told the hearing.

"I just left Steve and walked to the toilet area. I just stepped off the pavement into the corridor area heading towards the toilet and it was like an atomic bomb going off.

"I remember being surrounded by molten slag. He (Steve) was still in the blast house when I left him. I would not be here if I had been five seconds later."