Gas Supply Problem in Port Clarence

The work to restore gas supplies in the Port Clarence area of Middlesbrough is coming to an end.  

The incident began at around midday yesterday, Tuesday, 2nd September, when supplies were interrupted to an estimated 350 homes and businesses.   Before supplies could be restored, engineers had to visit every property to turn off the gas meters before they could begin to restore gas into the pipeline system.  

By midnight last night engineers had identified that a total of 278 properties had been affected. Three were commercial users while the remainder were domestic premises.   By midnight, supplies had been fully restored to 194 domestic users and one commercial property. There was no access to the remaining properties as the majority of occupants had gone to bed. Engineers are returning to the area early this morning to restore their supplies.  

The cause of the incident is under investigation.  

Northern Gas Networks apologises to anyone who has been inconvenienced over the last few hours.   "Incidents such as these happen very rarely but when they do it is important that we gather the appropriate resources and manpower to restore the situation to normal as quickly as possible," said John O'Grady, Northern Gas Networks' Director of Communications.   "I would like to reassure the people affected in the Port Clarence area that the pipeline system is now working perfectly normally and the area is completely safe."