Crews from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) were called at around 11 am to the leak at Trinity House flats in Kirkgate, Wakefield. Firefighters from Wakefield, Normanton and Dewsbury attended and by early afternoon the situation was escalated to a major incident and people were being evacuated from their homes.
The evacuation was undertaken by all emergency services as well as Wakefield District Housing and the local authority. Residents went to the nearby Wakefield Spiritualist Church on Peterson Road and streets around the flats were closed as firefighters worked with Northern Gas Networks to isolate the supply.
Evacuation process
Tim Jones, Group Manager at WYFRS, was at the incident and said crews needed to work quickly to ensure residents were kept safe from the fast-flowing gas leak.
Tim Jones said, “During the evacuation process we were focused on making sure all residents, especially those most vulnerable, were moved safely and quickly from the flats. We worked with other emergency services, the flat owners and the local authority to make sure the area was cordoned off and everyone was kept safe and well away from any potential harm."
He adds, "We left the incident at around 6.30 pm once we had made sure the gas leak had been capped off and there was no danger to residents. We have now handed the situation over to the owners of the flats, as well as Northern Gas Networks. We believe they will be busing everyone back from the church to their flats.”
