Rotorua gas emergency: Homes evacuated

A gas leak caused when workers severed a natural gas pipe with a drill forced homes to be evacuated and part of one of Rotorua's busiest roads to be closed for more than two hours.
Houses on Old Taupo Rd were evacuated and the road cordoned off as a safety precaution while emergency services worked to fixed the gas leak yesterday.
They were called about 10.30am after Unison contractors struck a natural gas pipe with a drill.
Unison spokesman Danny Gough said contractors were working between Rotorua Girls' High School and New World laying fibre optic cables when they struck the underground natural gas pipe while doing directional drilling.
"It is less evasive than digging trenches," he said.
"Before we start any work like this we do get information about where pipes and other cables are."
Mr Gough said it was current practice to drill at least a metre away from gas lines.
"We are investigating the incident and it is only in early stages," he said.
"It does appear that the information we had about where the gas pipes were was incorrect and we struck the pipe."
Mr Gough said the contractors worked with emergency services to resolve the issue.
Acting Senior Sergeant Chris McLeod of the Rotorua police said about 10 houses on Old Taupo Rd were evacuated as a safety precaution.
He said the road was blocked for more than two hours as workers fixed the broken pipe.
The road was closed at the intersection of Old Taupo Rd and Malfroy Rd and at the intersection of Old Taupo Rd and Hazlett St, York St, between James St and Old Taupo Rd was also blocked off with traffic diverted to other routes.
Shoppers at New World supermarket were directed to use the Miro St entrance and exit.
The cordons were in place until 12.45pm. Mr McLeod said it was fortunate the incident happened during school holidays.
Had it occurred during the school term, Rotorua Girls' High may have had to be evacuated.
He said the gas was not toxic but hazardous because it could have sparked an explosion. "Due to the weather conditions, with the strong breeze, it helped dissipate the gas."
The Rotorua Fire Service and ambulance crews were at the scene as a precaution.
Resident Nigel Tawhi said he could smell the gas from his house.
"I live on York St and I could smell it from my house. We tried to drive out but they wouldn't let us through so we just came over to New World."
Mr Tawhi said he was lucky the police warned him it was a gas leak "because I was just about to light up a smoke".
One Old Taupo Rd resident who was evacuated told The Daily Post she didn't mind being asked to leave her home.
"I just don't like the smell," said the woman, who asked not to be named.
"I'll just go and visit friends. It doesn't really bother me."
- Additional reporting by Kasia Jillings