Five homes evacuated because of gas leak (From Echo)

Five homes evacuated because of gas leak

8:40am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

FIVE homes were evacuated and part of a street was sealed off for three hours following a gas leak.

Engineers, the police and fire service were called to Sandon Road in Basildon, at about 10am yesterday after a resident reported the smell of gas.

The leak came from a main, the cause of which remains unknown.

Sub officer Craig Mcleuan, from the fire service, said: “When we arrived on the scene we set up a safety exclusion zone, and laid out a cover jet as a precaution to avoid any possibility of a fire.

“I am pleased to say the National Grid successfully stopped the leak.”

Jill Cox, 55 from nearby High Barrets, in Basildon, smelled the gas.

She said: “I went out early this morning and the stench of gas was choking.

“The gas workmen have been digging up a hole in the road outside a house on Sandon Road since last week.

“They put up no smoking signs, warning residents not to light up near the work area.”

A spokesman for National Grid said: “Sandon Road was closed off and five homes were evacuated as a precaution.

“The leak was fixed by 1.15pm, when residents were allowed to return to their homes and the road was reopened.”