Residents evacuate after gas main near hospital ruptured

A RUPTURED gas main sparked major disruption near a major North Wales hospital yesterday.

- By STEVE BAGNALL and DAVID POWELL

Emergency services were called to the Rhuddlan Road area of Bodelwyddan - adjacent to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd - on Friday morning following reports of a gas leak.

Wales & West Utilities said the leak had been caused by a “contractor” rupturing a pipe in the field opposite the hospital.

Homes were evacuated and Rhuddlan Road closed while engineers worked at the scene.

People living in the area were asked to keep windows and doors closed. Access to the hospital was also affected, with no access from the A55, past Marble Church, along Rhuddlan Road.

The affected roads were reopened at around 3.30pm after engineers managed to isolate the leak.

A North Wales Police spokesperson said: “As a result of damage to the gas main opposite Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan, Rhuddlan Road was closed and properties evacuated as a precautionary measure.

“The damage has now been isolated, and the road has reopened.

“Residents have been allowed back to their properties.

“All multi-agency partners involved would like to thank the public for their patience whilst this incident was brought to a safe conclusion.”

Earlier yesterday, Ben Hughes, Wales & West Utilities Operations Manager for Rhyl, said: “We were alerted to reports of a gas leak in a field at the rear of a property on Rhuddlan Road in Bodelwyddan this morning and immediately sent our team to investigate.

“On arrival, we discovered that a third-party contractor working in the field had hit our gas pipe, causing it to leak.

“Our engineers are currently working as safely and as quickly as possible to isolate the leak so that they can then safely start the repair work.