Mystery of 'gas leak'

Jennifer Foulds • Published 19 Aug 2010 09:30 2 Comments

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A MYSTERIOUS smell of gas - resulting in dozens of emergency services personnel cordoning of streets and bringing areas of Helensburgh to a standstill - was traced to a resident treating his driveway with chemicals.

More than 100 concerned residents contacted Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) after the strong stench of gas filled the air, travelling as far as Kirkmichael and the Tesco garage on East Clyde Street.

Police, fire, ambulance, SGN engineers and a scientific advisor arrived at the scene at around 8pm last Wednesday and it took them two hours to trace the source of the odour - which turned out not to be gas.

The services honed in at an address on Charlotte Street and a 200-metre exclusion zone was placed around the area.

It is believed a man had been treating his driveway with chemicals - and a sample is now being tested to determine what it was.

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue drafted in a scientific advisor, mobile chemical laborotory and treated the incident as a Hazmat (hazardous materials) level two - with level one being the lowest grade.

Emergency services were at the scene until 3am on Thursday morning when the area was finally given the all-clear.

SGN has confirmed there was no gas leak and a spokesman said engineers visited every house in the area which had reported the odour as it treats every report made as an individual case.

A spokesman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue confirmed that the chemical was not flammable and was not anything to worry about.

He said: “We got there at 8pm and it took us until 10.15pm to find the chemical, so you can imagine the size of the area involved.

“Around fifteen personnel, three fire engines, two from Helensburgh and one from Dumbarton, as well as a mobile chemical lab, to allow us to do chemical analysis, got to the scene.

“An individual seemed to have been spraying or using something to deal with stuff in the home and it gave off a gas which smelled like natural gas. But everyone was safe and our scientific advisor was comfortable with the situation.

“The important thing for us was that nobody was in danger and the chemical wasn’t flammable.”

One Charlotte Street resident spoke of her concern after smelling the odour.

She said: “We thought it was us at first and I was checking the house and opening all of the windows, of course the smell was outside so the odour came in through the windows.

“We phoned the gas helpline and they phoned back and said they were getting lots of reports of gas from up and down Charlotte Street.

“Fire engines turned up and we discovered the road had been cordoned off and we were in the middle of an exclusion zone.

“I went to bed thinking the road would still be full of fire engines the next morning, but when I got up it was all completely gone.”

Another resident said: “It was concerning because that night it had been all over the news about a gas leak in Edinburgh which caused a fire, so that was in everybody’s minds.”

A spokesman for Strathclyde Police said: “In response to concerns raised on the night of August 4 regarding a suspected gas leak in Helensburgh East, police set up cordons at various locations across the affected area and advised residents to stay indoors and to close all windows and doors, during an operation that lasted into the early hours of Thursday August 5.

“The area was extensively tested, however no gas leak was discovered.

“On further investigation, the source of the odour was traced to a driveway in the Charlotte Street area of the town which had been treated with chemicals.

“[Strathclyde Fire and Rescue] carried out numerous sample checks of the area and confirmed that there was no risk to the general public.”

He added: “No criminal charges have been [sought] in connection with the incident.”

This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 12 Aug 10

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hazelkaye
200 posts
Aug 19, 10:35
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Why did the woman in the middle of the Charlotte Street 'exclusion zone' sleep overnight in her own bed?

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AndyMc
7 posts
Aug 22, 09:01
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Helensburgh is already at a standstill by 8PM and at 3AM there is certainly not going to be much inconvenience caused.

There was no danger to the public, the chemical was harmless and to say that “No criminal charges have been [sought] in connection with the incident.” is utterly pointless.

Where is the story??

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