“The smell of gas was really strong – we had to get out”: Chaos as city centre street evacuated after workers ‘dig through live gas pipe’

Manchester: On Wednesday, things got pretty wild in the city centre. There was a gas leak, and it caused a major evacuation.

Workers accidentally hit a live gas pipe while digging, which led to a big emergency response around 1 PM. People were rushing out of buildings, and the area was quickly taped off by police and fire crews.

One salon owner, Kate, shared her experience. She was in the middle of a busy day when fire crews told her to get everyone out because of a strong gas smell from above. She was understandably worried, especially since she’s pregnant.

Kate said they had clients getting their hair and nails done, and they had to reschedule everyone. It was a bit chaotic, and she just wanted to get out safely.

Another witness, Hope, was also there and mentioned how confused everyone was. People were just standing around, trying to figure out what was happening.

The police advised folks to steer clear of John Dalton Street while they worked to contain the leak. Fire crews were on the scene, working with gas company representatives to ensure everything was safe.

Eventually, the gas leak was contained, and the area was cleared. The gas company reminded everyone to report any gas smells immediately, just in case.