Major incident in Warners Bay
Published: 20th July 2007
The NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) were called to a protracted and potentially volatile incident in King Street at Warners Bay this evening. A main supply gas line had ruptured causing a water main to break resulting in the undermining of a nearby power pole which was carrying high voltage power lines. The potential risk of the gas igniting meant that the power had to be cut off, residents from 30 nearby homes evacuated and the water main was shut down. Fire crews, from fire stations throughout the Newcastle area, provided fire protection to workers fixing the problems while constantly monitoring gas levels in the surrounding area. The repair work was hampered by water continually filling the access area so a larger excavator was needed to increase the size of the trench while air operated pumps removed water. The gas company slowly reduced the pressure in the main supply line enabling the gas line to be repaired, stopping the leak. The NSWFB maintained a commitment at the scene for over 24 hours.