Need to know
Extra engineers have been brought in to help restore gas to affected properties
File image of Wales and West Utilities gas engineer(Image: Wales & West Utilities)
Everything we know
- A third party damaged a gas main pipe in the Kingsbridge area yesterday (Saturday, January 3) causing a major outage in the South Hams area. Wales and West Utilities engineers successfully repaired the damaged main pipe overnight, but around 4,600 properties across Kingsbridge, Malborough, and Salcombe remain without gas.
- Over 100 engineers have been deployed to the region, including additional staff drafted in from across the wider network to accelerate the recovery. To restore gas safely, engineers must visit every home twice – first to manually turn the supply off at the meter and later to turn it back on. Crews have successfully reached about 60 per cent of properties.
- In Malborough most properties are isolated and engineers are now beginning the second visit to turn gas back on. In Kingsbridge, 62 per cent of homes have been visited, while in Salcombe, teams have reached 55 per cent of the impacted properties.
- Alternative heating and cooking facilities are being prioritised for those on the Priority Services Register to help them manage the cold. If you or a neighbor require these supplies, they can be collected from the Malborough Village Hall or the Salcombe Rugby Club.
- The timing of the incident is particularly critical as it coincides with a Met Office yellow weather warning for snow and ice. Plummeting temperatures have made the lack of heating a serious concern for the thousands of households affected.
- If you are not home when an engineer calls, they will leave a card with specific instructions on how to arrange a safe reconnection. As a precaution, anyone who smells gas at any time should immediately contact the National Gas Emergency line at 0800 111 999.
Read the full story here: Updates as thousands affected by gas outage after main pipe damaged
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