The Block caught out faking EPA inspection of Prahran apartment complex

THE Block has been caught out faking a visit from the EPA after discovering thousands of litres of fuel on the Prahran building site.

"Chris" from The Block Glasshouse.

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 Prahran building site.

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 during filming.

But Leader has found the EPA had no involvement with the show.

When the Leader contacted Channel 9 to find out who the man on the show was, spokesman Terry Stuart back-pedalled and said it was a case of “misidentification” and an “editing error”.

“He was in fact an environmental scientist hired by The BlockGlasshouse to help us liaise with the EPA,” Mr Stuart said.

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

EPA senior media adviser Terry Sefton told the Leader the agency had “no involvement” in The Block, nor had it inspected the site in at least the past 10 years.

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

The show’s 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 alleged EPA representative was introduced as “Chris” and was on site with Schleiger investigating the tank.

"Chris" from The Block Glasshouse.

Cam then 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 Leader asked if the tank had been removed, Mr Stuart said: “Go back and watch” (the show).

Asked if there was a penalty for impersonating an EPA officer, Mr Sefton said: “He (“Chris”) didn’t claim to be from EPA, that was voiced over,” and referred inquiries to Channel 9 and Stonnington Council.

Leaderput a series of questions to the council but it said it was “unable” to comment..