Residents evacuated after gas leak in Sheffield to return home tonight

Gas engineers at the scene earlier today.

As many as 60 people - including pensioners aged in their 80s, a wheelchair user and children - were evacuated from their homes in Shiregreen in the early hours of this morning following reports of a 'hissing' sound and a foul smell of gas after workmen hit a pipe.

Police knocked loudly on the doors of about a dozen homes in Hatfield House Lane and Winkley Terrace at about 3.30am warning residents to leave the area immediately.

A refuge base was set up in the nearby Concord Sports Centre where residents have been gathered since the evacuation.

A spokesman for contractor Amey, who admitted its workers had caused the leak during resurfacing work, said its staff were currently contacting residents and asking them to convene at Concord Sports Centre.

She said: "We will hopefully get everybody back into their properties over the next few hours but are asking people to meet at Concord first so we know they are back.

"An engineer will then go into their properties with them so that they know that their appliances are working and are safe."

A Cadent spokesman said: "Cadent engineers have now stopped the gas escape which occurred after third party contractors working in the road earlier today (Wednesday 11 April) damaged our network.

"To stop the gas escape engineers had to slowly bring down gas pressures feeding the main to a level which would enable them to safely dig down to the main.

"Gas supplies to the area have been maintained throughout the incident.

"A number of properties have been evacuated as a precaution and Cadent is doing all it can to resolve things to ensure the residents involved can return to their home as soon as possible.

"Hatfield House Lane is currently closed, though the contractors already had a closure in place for their work."