The Block caught out faking a visit from the Environment Protection Authority in dodgy soil drama

TOP-rating TV show The Block has been caught out ­faking a visit from the Environment Protection Authority after discovering thousands of litres of fuel on ‘The Glasshouse’ building site.

TOP-rating TV show The Block has been caught out ­faking a visit from the Environment Protection Authority after discovering thousands of litres of fuel at The Glasshouse building site at Prahran in Melbourne.

Channel 9 claimed to have used an EPA representative to check for possible soil contamination from a huge fuel tank found at the High St site.

The inclusion of Victoria’s environmental inspection agency appeared to dramatically escalate the threat of ­contamination at the site.

But an investigation by Leader newspapers found the EPA had no involvement.

When Nine was asked who the “EPA” inspector on the show was, spokesman Terry Stuart admitted it was a case of “misidentification” and an ­“editing error”.

“He was, in fact, an environmental scientist hired by The Block Glasshouse to help us ­liaise with the EPA,” he said.

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Mr Stuart said “extensive testing” was carried out on the site and the all-clear was given.

But there was also no ­liaison with the EPA about the pollution concerns.

EPA senior media adviser Terry Sefton said the agency had not inspected the site for at least the past 10 years.

During episode 44 of The Block Glasshouse, the site was found to have been an Ampol service station and a tank with about 15,000 litres of fuel was discovered underground.

Foreman Keith Schleiger was filmed phoning the EPA to ask if someone could “come down and have a look”.

In a voiceover, host Scott Cam said: “Back on the Block, the rep from the EPA has arrived and the news is not good”.

The “EPA rep” was introduced as “Chris” and was on site with Schleiger. Cam said: “Chris from the EPA is taking a soil sample for testing.”

“Chris” said: “We’ll get this analysed at the lab and we’ll see if there’s any contamination.” In Schleiger’s piece to camera, he referred to the tank find as “an absolute disaster”. “We’re basically sitting on a bomb,” he said.

The episode then showed fuel being removed from the tank.

When the Stonnington Leader asked if the tank had been removed, Mr Stuart­ said: “Go back and watch” the show.

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