Emergency works are underway to repair a gas leak under a busy town centre road. Engineers have been sent to St Mary's Gate, in Rochdale, after after a leak was discovered on a pipeline around two metres underground.
Gas network Cadent reassured people that there is no gas near any buildings and said that people's gas will stay on throughout the work. The road will also remain open, Cadent confirmed.
"The leak is under control, but it couldn’t be in a more challenging place,” said customer operations area manager Chris Campbell. “Our priority is keeping everyone safe, but we are also working very hard to keep traffic flowing as well as keep gas flowing into people’s homes.
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"We appreciate everyone’s patience while we carry out this work, and know too that it’s causing traffic issues in the local area. We’ll have a much better idea next week how long this will take to complete.”
Engineers are currently working out of a trench and are sending cameras along the pipeline to survey and identify the source of the leak. It is believed that it is coming from a small joint, Cadent say.
Next week specialist teams will coat the pipe with a sealant, which should stop the leak. If you smell gas during this work, nearby or anywhere, ring the national gas emergency service immediately on 0800 111 999.
