Chaos as gas main RUPTURED by estate agent erecting ‘to let’ sign in residential street

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Gas main ruptured by estate agent causing chaos after he erected a 'to let' sign in residential area

Residents reported a pungent smell just hours after Edison Ford estate agents installed the board in Yate, near Bristol.

A row of five terraced houses were cordoned off as firefighters excavated the lawn so engineers could reach the source of the leak.

The 15 residents affected were allowed back into their homes around an hour after the evacuation at 6.50pm on Saturday.

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Firefighters evacuated the street so engineers could reach the source of the leak

Having been established for over 25 years, we are surprised by this incident

Steve Clowes

A spokesman for Avon and Fire Rescue Service said: "We helped dig up land around the pipe. Crews remained at the scene until around 8pm."

Steve Clowes, property manager at Edison Ford, apologised for the inconvenience caused.

He said: "Having been established for over 25 years, we are surprised by this incident.

"We have sold and let many homes for many clients in this area over this period of time and have never encountered a situation like this before.

"There have been many signs erected in lots of garden by us and other agents over the years, we have yet to establish what was different about the garden of this house.

"We are sorry of course for any inconvenience caused to people affected by this incident."

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