Do you know what to do if you detect gas?

A SURVEY of 8,000, people carried out for Gas Safety Week has revealed a worrying lack of awareness about safety.

If they smell gas, a high number of respondents said they would do things that actually increase the risk of causing an explosion.

A safety warning was issued after evidence suggests that most people do not know what to do if they smell gas.

Distributor Cadent has now urged people to make a note of the national gas emergency service number 0800 111 999 – and to ring it immediately if they detect a gas leak.

Last year Cadent engineers checked out more than 57,000 reports of smells of gas across the East Midlands. But after the survey results, the firm is keen to raise awareness.

Almost half (47 per cent) said they saw nothing wrong with making a call from their mobile phone indoors, while 29 per cent said they would not think twice about going into their basement or cellar to turn off the gas meter, if it was situated there.

About six per cent said they would close all windows and doors.

These are all things you should not do. If you smell gas, using a mobile indoors or turning off a gas meter in a basement or cellar could ignite the gas and cause an explosion, while windows and doors need to be fully opened.

If you smell gas, you should call the gas emergency number on 0800 111 999, extinguish any naked flames, do not operate any power or light switches or any electrical appliances, open doors and windows, turn your gas off at the meter – but do not enter a cellar/ basement – and evacuate the building.