A large chunk of the Napier CBD was closed off to traffic and shoppers after a gas leak this morning.
The leak was set off about 10.40am, with a gas contractor saying he understood someone may have cut through the pipe on the understanding it was a dead line.
"It was not."
The pipe was one of three in a small alleyway - known as Theatre Lane - which runs between Tennyson St and lower Emerson St.
After the alarm was raised firefighters were quickly on the scene and police moved in to close off both lower Emerson St and Tennyson St from Dalton St to traffic.