Freak gas main fire results in flames erupting from road
Homes without power and route expected to be shut for 10 days
Homes were left without power and a major road remains closed after a gas main went up in flames in a freak fire.
It broke out at a junction point on the Maidstone Road, just north of Sutton Valence, at around 11pm last Thursday, and a member of the public called 999.
The street was closed between Warmlake Road and Plough Wents Road, Langley, while firefighters and gas contractors worked to make the scene safe.
It is expected to remain closed until Sunday, with a 26-mile diversion in place in the meantime.
UK Power Networks also turned off the electricity supply to 10 homes in The Oaks and 19 other local properties for more than 11 hours, to enable firefighters and gas crews to work safely.
The homes had their power restored at 1.45pm on Friday.
The previous Wednesday, SGN engineers had completed a new spur from the gas main in order to supply new homes being built at the rear of the Warmlake retail estate which is currently empty. The work was finished but awaiting a different crew to come along and infill the hole and restore the road surface.
An SGN engineer at the site said: “It’s a mystery how it happened.
“There will have to be an investigation.”
SGN was able to dig another hole in the carriageway a short distance along the road, to turn off the gas supply, and the flames were extinguished at around 10.15am on Friday.
However, the gas pipe was badly damaged and the road remains closed while a new main is laid.
Matthew Deer, a resident at The Oaks, said: “Naturally when we heard the fire engine we all went out to look. At that stage on Thursday night, the flames were quite high, about 10ft.
“It’s funny because there’s no apparent cause for the blaze and this is the second time something like this has happened.”
A neighbour expanded: “The last fire was on April 5. It was about 20 metres down the road from this one and damaged the fence of one of our neighbours.
“It’s quite disturbing there should be two fires so close together. I want this sorted out.”
The official diversion route
took motorists back to the A229 at Linton Hill, a considerable detour.
Eva Houson, of The Oaks, said that on Friday morning it had taken her husband 45 minutes to negotiate the diversion and get to work, but on a positive note, she said: “It’s been much quieter with the road closed.”
Motorists with local knowledge found a shorter route past the blockage by travelling down Plough Wents Road, Norton Road and Warmlake Road, but these are narrow country lanes, which quickly became congested during peak periods.
Waseem Hanif, a spokesman for SGN, said: “We would like to
thank Sutton Valence residents and motorists for their patience and support. We will reopen the road as soon as we can.”
A staff member from Sutton Valence Care Home, which cares for around 70 elderly people and is not far from the scene, said: “It was a nightmare getting in that first morning.
“Especially for a care home; we had people arriving an hour late because of the traffic while others were trying to finish a 12-hour shift.
“People had to take a long detour round the country to get into us.”
The official diversion is via Plough Wents Road, Heath Road, Linton Crossroads, Linton Hill, Staplehurst Road, Maidstone Road, Station Road, High Street, Cranbrook Road, Rocks Hill, Sissinghurst Road, Headcorn Road, North Street and back to Maidstone Road.
No-one was injured in the blaze.
‘The flames were quite high, about 10ft. It’s funny because there’s no apparent cause for the blaze and this is the second time something like this has happened’