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| Major operation under way to tackle Falkirk gas network failure | Major operation under way to tackle Falkirk gas network failure |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of engineers are visiting homes in the Falkirk area as part of a major operation to tackle a gas network failure. | Hundreds of engineers are visiting homes in the Falkirk area as part of a major operation to tackle a gas network failure. |
| Thousands of people spent the night without heat in freezing temperatures after the outage on Sunday morning. | Thousands of people spent the night without heat in freezing temperatures after the outage on Sunday morning. |
| Heaters and portable cookers have been distributed to vulnerable residents and 14 schools and nurseries are closed. | Heaters and portable cookers have been distributed to vulnerable residents and 14 schools and nurseries are closed. |
| Gas infrastructure company SGN said it hoped to visit all 8,000 affected properties by Monday afternoon. | Gas infrastructure company SGN said it hoped to visit all 8,000 affected properties by Monday afternoon. |
| More than 250 engineers are going door-to-door to turn off gas supplies at the meter for safety reasons. | More than 250 engineers are going door-to-door to turn off gas supplies at the meter for safety reasons. |
| SGN has warned some homes could be without gas supplies until the weekend in the "worst-case scenario". | SGN has warned some homes could be without gas supplies until the weekend in the "worst-case scenario". |
| Mother-of-four Angelene Perry, who has a nine-month-old baby, said she had borrowed four radiators from a friend and has been given a stove and two fan heaters by SGN to heat one room. | Mother-of-four Angelene Perry, who has a nine-month-old baby, said she had borrowed four radiators from a friend and has been given a stove and two fan heaters by SGN to heat one room. |
| She said: "We're using the kettle just now to boil all our water. | She said: "We're using the kettle just now to boil all our water. |
| "I'm just thinking at the moment how I'm going to go through the week, and just really thinking about night time. | "I'm just thinking at the moment how I'm going to go through the week, and just really thinking about night time. |
| "During the day we're OK, we can huddle into one room, but just trying to plan ahead for the week." | "During the day we're OK, we can huddle into one room, but just trying to plan ahead for the week." |
| 'Could creep into weekend' | 'Could creep into weekend' |
| Spokesman Denis Kerby said they were working to restore supplies as quickly as possible. | Spokesman Denis Kerby said they were working to restore supplies as quickly as possible. |
| "That might be a couple of days but in terms of getting everyone back on, we're looking at five days," he told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme. | "That might be a couple of days but in terms of getting everyone back on, we're looking at five days," he told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme. |
| "It could be up to Friday, it could even creep into the weekend - that is really the worst-case scenario." | "It could be up to Friday, it could even creep into the weekend - that is really the worst-case scenario." |
| He said engineers needed to visit every home even if residents have managed the turn off their own supplies. | |
| Mr Kerby said that SGN apologised for the fault as it was "our piece of equipment that's failed." | Mr Kerby said that SGN apologised for the fault as it was "our piece of equipment that's failed." |
| He said: "However, what we are doing is making sure people are getting their gas back as quickly as possible. | He said: "However, what we are doing is making sure people are getting their gas back as quickly as possible. |
| "So this is making sure that no one who has a vulnerability is going to be missed." | "So this is making sure that no one who has a vulnerability is going to be missed." |
| Why does an engineer have to visit homes? | Why does an engineer have to visit homes? |
| Residents have been told they could be waiting for up to five days for their supplies to be restored. | Residents have been told they could be waiting for up to five days for their supplies to be restored. |
| To ensure the gas supply is managed in a safe way: | To ensure the gas supply is managed in a safe way: |
| If gas meters are inside homes, engineers must be given access, however, if they are outside (in a white or brown meter box) access is not needed. | If gas meters are inside homes, engineers must be given access, however, if they are outside (in a white or brown meter box) access is not needed. |
| Compensation of £30 will be paid to customers for every 24 hours they are without gas. | Compensation of £30 will be paid to customers for every 24 hours they are without gas. |
| By the end of Sunday night, they had been to 3,000 homes, according to an SGN online update,. | By the end of Sunday night, they had been to 3,000 homes, according to an SGN online update,. |
| 'Mindful' of electricity use | 'Mindful' of electricity use |
| A problem with a "governor" station which regulates gas pressure in the local network developed at about 04:30 Sunday. | A problem with a "governor" station which regulates gas pressure in the local network developed at about 04:30 Sunday. |
| Thousands of people woke up to discover they had no heating or hot water as their boilers shut down. | Thousands of people woke up to discover they had no heating or hot water as their boilers shut down. |
| SGN said homes in Bainsford, Carron, Carronshore, Larbert, Langlees, New Carron Village, Skinflats and Stenhousemuir were affected. | SGN said homes in Bainsford, Carron, Carronshore, Larbert, Langlees, New Carron Village, Skinflats and Stenhousemuir were affected. |
| Meanwhile, residents have also been warned to be "mindful" of their electricity use, following a number of power outages in the area overnight. | Meanwhile, residents have also been warned to be "mindful" of their electricity use, following a number of power outages in the area overnight. |
| On Twitter, police said: "Scottish Power is asking people in the Falkirk area is to be mindful of their electricity use over the coming days as there's increased demand on the electricity network with people using heaters while they're without gas. | On Twitter, police said: "Scottish Power is asking people in the Falkirk area is to be mindful of their electricity use over the coming days as there's increased demand on the electricity network with people using heaters while they're without gas. |
| With overnight temperatures dipping below zero, people living in the area are being urged to check on vulnerable neighbours. | With overnight temperatures dipping below zero, people living in the area are being urged to check on vulnerable neighbours. |
| Falkirk Council said 14 schools and nurseries would not open Monday, with a decision on whether they remain shut on Tuesday to be taken later. | Falkirk Council said 14 schools and nurseries would not open Monday, with a decision on whether they remain shut on Tuesday to be taken later. |
| The authority made the Camelon Community Centre available to SGN, which was handing out portable heating and cooking equipment to elderly, sick or disabled customers and those with young children. | The authority made the Camelon Community Centre available to SGN, which was handing out portable heating and cooking equipment to elderly, sick or disabled customers and those with young children. |
| A mobile catering unit was also distributing hot food. | A mobile catering unit was also distributing hot food. |
| Mr Kerby added: "Our priority is vulnerable customers. We are liaising with the local authority and our partners in the community to make sure we can visit all the people who may need that extra bit of help. | Mr Kerby added: "Our priority is vulnerable customers. We are liaising with the local authority and our partners in the community to make sure we can visit all the people who may need that extra bit of help. |
| "We would also appeal to people to be really good neighbours - and please check on any elderly neighbours or anyone in the vicinity who may need some extra help." | "We would also appeal to people to be really good neighbours - and please check on any elderly neighbours or anyone in the vicinity who may need some extra help." |
| One local resident, David McCallan, told BBC Scotland that his home was like an "ice box" when he woke up on Monday morning, until he switched on a heater supplied by SGN. | One local resident, David McCallan, told BBC Scotland that his home was like an "ice box" when he woke up on Monday morning, until he switched on a heater supplied by SGN. |
| "It's not a great heat but it's sufficient to keep myself and my wife warm enough." | "It's not a great heat but it's sufficient to keep myself and my wife warm enough." |
| Customers can request heating or cooking appliances by calling into Camelon Community Centre. | Customers can request heating or cooking appliances by calling into Camelon Community Centre. |
| How have you been coping without gas? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | How have you been coping without gas? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |