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Fishcross gas leak: Engineers work to restore supplies Fishcross gas leak: Engineers work to restore supplies
(about 7 hours later)
About 3,500 homes in Clackmannanshire have been without gas overnight after a mains pipe was accidentally severed.About 3,500 homes in Clackmannanshire have been without gas overnight after a mains pipe was accidentally severed.
It is understood a farmer doing drainage work cut through the eight inch thick pipe in Fishcross on Tuesday causing a major gas leak. It is understood a farmer doing drainage work cut through the 8in thick pipe near Fishcross on Tuesday, causing a major gas leak.
Engineers from Scotland Gas Networks (SGN) secured the leak and are working to fix the damage and restore supplies. Engineers from Scotland Gas Networks hope to have reconnected some affected properties by the end of Wednesday.
Elderly and vulnerable residents have been given temporary heaters and cooking equipment.Elderly and vulnerable residents have been given temporary heaters and cooking equipment.
On Tuesday afternoon gas supplies were disconnected in Dollar, Tillicoultry and Fishcross. Gas supplies were disconnected in Dollar, Tillicoultry and Fishcross on Tuesday afternoon, while local primary schools were evacuated and residents advised to stay indoors.
Local primary schools were evacuated and residents advised to stay indoors.
Dollar Academy will remain closed on Wednesday. About 1,200 pupils have been told to stay at home as the school's heating will not be working.Dollar Academy will remain closed on Wednesday. About 1,200 pupils have been told to stay at home as the school's heating will not be working.
A facility set up at Tillicoultry Community Centre was expected to reopen to residents at 07:00.A facility set up at Tillicoultry Community Centre was expected to reopen to residents at 07:00.
Some affected residents complained of poor communication from Scottish Gas Networks (SGN) in the wake of the leak.
One woman from Tillicoultry told BBC Scotland: "We saw plenty vans but no-one came to say anything, so I don't know anything. Why has there been no information?
"It was an accident that happened, we all understand that, but I thought pipes were under the ground a lot lower than a farmer is digging".
Another resident said: "About three o'clock (on Tuesday afternoon) the heating went down and it has been extremely cold overnight - very, very cold. No hot water, no heating.
"It is quite disappointing in this day and age that this kind of thing happens, but unfortunately it's just life and you get on with it."
SGN said it was working closely with Clackmannanshire Council to provide temporary heating and cooking appliances to those who needed them.SGN said it was working closely with Clackmannanshire Council to provide temporary heating and cooking appliances to those who needed them.
The company said that once the damaged pipe was repaired engineers would begin reintroducing gas into the network. They will then monitor the pressure as the system is brought back to normal. The company said the leak itself had been stopped - but engineers will have to visit every customer to check it is safe to restore supplies.
Engineers must visit every affected property, first to turn off the gas supplies, then to turn them back on again when the repairs have been made. More than 1,700 properties had been visited by 08:00 on Wednesday.
SGN said it hoped to have supplies restored over the next couple of days. Anne Neilson from SGN told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme the firm had not been given notification that the farmer intended to do do any work in the area, so had been unable to advise him of the pipe's exact location.
She added: "It has been quite significant damage which has obviously caused quite a considerable amount of disruption to 3,500 customers. We have been trying to keep customers updated, and have got updates on our website. We will continue to be doing that throughout today (Wednesday).
"We have to go round and make sure for safety reasons that gas is turned off and appliances are turned off in the home.
"At the same time, our engineers have been working throughout the night to repair the damaged main, to stop the leak and to actually carry out a permanent repair on the pipe that has been damaged.
"Obviously it is quite difficult to say, but we would hope that we may be in a position by the end of today to start turning on some customers - but if not, certainly tomorrow."