Gas chaos as freeze hits

ROADS around Marsden were alive with activity again today as the village's gas emergency continued.

Dozens of maintenance vans were swarming around the village while scores of engineers flitted from job to job, trying to get supplies through to 2,000 homes.

But residents faced a third day without gas after a major mains leak at the weekend.

Inside hundreds of homes people were wrapping up warm to stave off the freezing winter weather.

Northern Gas Networks, who own the pipeline, distributed electric heaters - but not everyone had access to one.

One elderly woman on Carrs Road, wearing several layers of clothes and her dressing gown, told the Examiner yesterday: "We have gas central heating, so now we have nothing.

"Someone said they were bringing heaters round, but we haven't had anything yet."

She said she was using her electric oven to keep her living room warm.

"We have got electric blankets in all the beds, so that wasn't too bad. But the house is very cold."

Bev and Richard Thornton, of Deer Hill Close, said they were coping, but added that there had been a lack of information for residents.

The couple have three children, aged 13, 18 and 20.

Mrs Thornton said: "I tried to call Transco and I couldn't get though."

She said people weren't sure who was doing what.

As for the heating she said: "We're just wrapping up, but it's going to be freezing tonight.

"It's a bit of excitement, but no-one likes being cold do they? It's cold in this room even in summer."

Kathleen Fabregas, of Carrs Road, was keeping warm.

She said: "I've got an electric shower and I had this electric heater from the gas company.

"They came round checking everything this morning.

"When it gets to about eight o'clock or nine o'clock I'll take this electric heater upstairs to heat the bedroom.

"But I think there'd be quite a few round here with gas cookers and everything that would probably be worse off."

Tom Fearn, 77, and his wife Dorothy, 79, were stoical about the situation.

The couple, who live on Binn Road and were using the supplied electric heater, said they've experienced colder weather.

Mr Fearn said: "It's just one of those things that happen. You make the best of it.

Mrs Fearn said: "We're wartime children. I'm not really bothered by the cold!"

She added that the worse bit was having to give up her Sunday lunch.

She said: "We'll have to open a tin of beans!"

John McMullen, 60, of Royd Street, said: "I'm all right because I'm relatively young. I can manage.

"It's a matter of seeing those people far more at risk, like people with young families and the elderly.

"I've got an electric oven, so for cooking it isn't bad.

"And I've got a little camping gas stove for heating and that will do. It keeps the worse of it off."

Tim Shaw and his partner, Tamara Goddard, have children Matthew, six, and Domini, 10.

Mr Shaw, a part-time lecturer in electrical installation at Huddersfield Technical College, said he thought the contractors were dealing with the problem well.

He also says he reported the gas leak on Saturday.

"I took Tamara to work and I smelled gas on Chain Road.

"They've previously done some work, there so I reported it.

"They took my phone number and they actually rang me for directions once they were in the area!

"The next thing we knew was that Chain Road was blocked off."

Rather than sit around and get cold at home the family decided to go out for a walk. "We just decided to go for a walk and make some snowballs," said Mr Shaw.

"I think we're not so bad because we can wrap up warm and keep moving."

The village's parochial church hall has been transformed into the on-site incident room.

And over at the Mechanics Hall volunteers from the village, along with Kirklees Council staff and members of the WRVS, distributed hot meals to people in need.

Marsden's Methodist minister, the Rev Sue Pegg, said: "It's absolutely wonderful. All the social services have just turned up, nurses and everybody.

"Everybody has just mucked in. Marsden is that sort of place."

Also present was Rob Vincent, chief executive of Kirklees Council.

Council staff from social services, housing and catering were all lending a hand.

Mr Vincent, who lives near Scapegoat Hill, said: "I wanted to make sure that we're doing all we can to help people who are affected by it and it's worrying because it's such cold weather.

"We're trying to make sure that no- one's overlooked."

Asked about the response to the emergency Mr Vincent said: "As far as I can tell it's going fine.

"I just need to make sure we don't miss anybody."

But the gas shortage wasn't bad news for everyone.

The Old New Inn pub on Carrs Road has a roaring coal fire and drinkers have been coming in their droves from their chilly homes to get warm.

Nic Carroll, joint licensee, said there had been more customers than usual.

She added: "People like to stand here by the bar, but we were seeing people move round to the other end of the room by the fire.

"It doesn't get used that often!"

* A gas leak was reported on Saturday at 9am.

* There was a fractured main and Chain Road was closed off for several hours.

* At 5pm gas pressure dropped in the mains and the supply was cut for safety reasons.

* At 10.30pm the original leak was repaired.