Skip to content

Residents return home after gas leak

Niall McCracken,Mid Ulster reporterand
Eve Hughes,BBC News NI
News imageBBC A photo on the Gortin Road, on the left is a circular blue sign with a white border, in the middle it has a white arrow pointing to another blue sign with a white border sign that reads 'Police road closed'. In the background there is a Spar shop, a car park, and police barricades blocking the road. BBC
A number of homes and businesses have been evacuated

Around 20 homes and a number of local businesses were evacuated on Wednesday following a gas leak in Omagh.

The Gortin Road was closed for a time but has since reopened.

The council has told local representatives a digger hit a mains gas pipe at the junction of Gortin Road and Strathroy Road.

A 100-metre evacuation zone was put in place there was a large police and fire service presence in the area.

News imageFire fighters on the Gortin Road, beside a police vehicle. To their left are barricades.
Residents in the area are being advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

Residents in the area who did not had to leave their homes were being advised to keep windows and doors closed.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council opened Omagh Leisure Complex as an emergency support centre.

In a statement, the gas distribution network operator in the area, Evolve, confirmed the gas main had been damaged by a third-party contractor.

The company said the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) had implemented the 100-metre exclusion zone and it was working closely with them to "to ensure the incident is resolved, with the safety of the public and our colleagues remaining our absolute priority".

Firefighters have now left the scene.

News imageA man, Jonathan White pictured sat down inside. He is wearing a dark jumper with a blue shirt on underneath. He has white hair, beard and moustache. He has glasses on top of his head.
Jonathan White was evacuated from his home

Jonathan White, 72, was evacuated from his home around 10:00 BST.

Using Omagh Leisure Complex as an emergency support centre he said: "The frustrating thing now is not being able to get back in to do some of the normal things."

News imageNicola Brogan pictured outside, she is wearing a brown jacket with a white blouse. A gold necklace and has short blonde hair.
Nicola Brogan has commended the emergency services

Sinn Féin MLA Nicola Brogan said: "I really want to commend the emergency services for the work that they've done ensuring the safety of local people here."

News imageBernard McGrath pictured outside. he is wearing a navy jacket with a blue and white shirt.
Bernard McGrath is encouraging people to stay away from the area

SDLP representative Bernard McGrath said that with the strong winds today he detected the smell from about a mile away while driving into the town centre.