A devastating explosion which destroyed four homes in Ayr was caused by a faulty gas pipe.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that a “corroded service pipe” leaked into a property before the blast in Kincaidston last October.
The gas pipe which ran into Number 3 Gorse Park entered the property before it met an ignition source.
In a letter seen by Ayrshire Live, it is detailed that the pipe had three “corrosion holes” which developed due to damage to its yellow plastic corrosion protection coating.
It states that the corrosion was likely caused by unsuitable backfill when the service pipe was originally laid in 1975.
The pipe then further deteriorated due to the “aggressive nature of the soil”.
The findings are backed by two specialist reports, with the first relating to the explosion on October, 18 2021 and the second relating to the gas pipe itself.
A family-of-four were left seriously injured as a result of the blast with four households made homeless and hundreds of people evacuated from their homes.
The full report could be accessible through a Freedom of Information request to HSE. It will not be made available to the public.
It comes as HSE revealed they will be taking “no further action” following on from their investigation into the blast.
Community leader Robert Dunn says corroded pipes in the estate had been a worry for years.
He told Ayrshire Live: “I can’t believe it took 10 months for HSE to confirm what we all knew.
“We knew there was evidence of gas pipes corroding, we saw it with our own eyes.
“It is scary to think that these corroded pipes were sitting underneath our homes.
“Kincaidston was built on farmland, the soil is heavy. The only way you would have known there was a leak was if the ground was dug up. Otherwise, it would be like putting a plaster over an open wound.
“Years ago, myself and my neighbours reported smelling gas. The engineer never got to source of it until he dug up the ground.”
An HSE spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with those impacted by this incident.
“Having investigated it fully, the HSE will be taking no further action.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
