By Pallavi Singhal
A burst gas main led to evacuations, ongoing road closures and light rail services being shut down in Sydney’s inner west on Monday.
Workers in Annandale hit a gas main at the site of a junction box at about 12.30pm, leading to an hours-long operation to turn off multiple gas supplies that feed into the box.
About 30 people in the immediate area were evacuated from their homes and others in the surrounding region were told to close their doors and windows.
An exclusion zone of about 100 metres was established. Johnston Street was closed in both directions between Kentville Avenue and The Crescent until 4am on Tuesday.
“The gas leak ... has been cleared and traffic has returned to normal,” Live Traffic Sydney said in a tweet.
Buses were replacing light rail services between Fish Market and Dulwich Hill on Monday night.
Fire and Rescue NSW crews dispersing gas while the supply is being turned off.Credit: Wolter Peeters
“A major gas main ruptured in Johnstone St earlier today has been rendered safe by shutting off the supply,” Fire and Rescue NSW said on Monday night.
“[Firefighters] used water sprays to disperse the gas to prevent any explosion and fire. [Firefighters] also used gas detectors to determine evacuations and exclusion zones.”
Police and fire trucks were also at the scene.
“It was a medium to high-pressure gas vein, we’ve had to get crews to dig up pipes in other locations so they can shut down supply,” Superintendent Adam Dewberry with Fire and Rescue NSW said.
“The gas is flammable but it is lighter than air and it does disperse very quickly, and as an added precaution, we’re dispersing it with water. Fire trucks are there to make sure the area is safe.”
He said people would likely be allowed back into their homes and road closures would end once the gas coming into the junction had been turned off and the line was purged.
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