Hundreds evacuated from homes after gas leak in Mid Wales town
Hundreds of people had to leave homes and pubs following a crash which fractured a gas pipe in the centre of a town.
Police said a number of roads in Llanidloes, including Longbridge Street and Church Street, were closed for between 90 minutes to two hours, while police, fire and gas emergency services dealt with the incident, capped the gas leak and made the area safe.
Householders and drinkers were rounded up by police on Saturday evening who told them to wait at the 400-year-old Market Hall at the crossroads in the centre of Llanidloes, where they waited for up to two hours for the all clear to return to their homes.
Police are now appealing for witnesses to the crash which happened at about10.55pm on Saturday involving a blue Renault Megane.
A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "During this incident, a gas pipe, fence and metal pedestrian railings where extensively damaged, causing the closure of the surrounding area including the evacuation of a number of residential and business premises in Longbridge Street, Llanidloes, due to the fractured gas pipe."
Witnesses said there were about 200 people gathered outside and they could smell the gas.
Steve Hawkins, of the Red Lion Hotel and Restaurant, Longbridge Street, said: "I was at home at the time and I had a text from my mum Eileen who runs the pub.
"She said the whole street had to be evacuated because of a gas leak.
"For a while everything was up in the air and no-one had a clue what was going on.
"But after a couple of hours, it emerged that the evacuation was just a precaution and that the gas leak hadn't been too bad in the end. But you can never be too careful with gas."
Police say a man is assisting with their ongoing inquiries into the road collision.
Contact Llanidloes or Newtown police station on 101.
