City of London gas leak sees about 5,000 evacuated from buildings

Approximately 4,700 individuals were evacuated in the City of London following the detection of a gas leak. The incident occurred on Old Broad Street, where the London Fire Brigade (LFB) was alerted at 10:55 BST. Upon arrival, firefighters identified a six-inch gas main that had been ruptured at a six-storey office building.

To ensure safety, a 200-meter cordon was established, stretching from Threadneedle Street to London Wall, leading to the evacuation of nearby buildings as a precautionary measure. The London Fire Brigade has since lifted the cordon, allowing people to return to the properties that were previously affected.

According to a spokesperson from Cadent, the damage to the pipe was caused by a private construction team and was “severely damaged by a private construction team.” The spokesperson emphasized that the incident was unrelated to Cadent’s personnel or its infrastructure.

While repairs are underway, Cadent has maintained a road closure on Great Winchester Street. Engineers continue to work on fixing the compromised gas pipeline to restore normal conditions in the area