Workers return after gas leak

Police and firefighters closed roads at the Enterprise Park

Around 100 people forced to leave an industrial estate in Swansea after a major gas leak were back in work on Thursday.

Thirty small businesses within 150 yards of the leak in Valley Way on the Swansea Enterprise Park were evacuated on Wednesday morning.

Transco engineers were able to repair the damage by 2100 BST.

No-one was injured and homes in the Morriston and Llansamlet area were unaffected.

Police were called to the scene at 1005 BST on Wednesday.

Transco said that contractors working in the area damaged a medium pressure gas main.

Probably a square mile, maybe two square miles had been evacuated. All businesses, garages, everything Evacuated worker

The contractors were not working for Transco or on the gas pipes at the time.

A spokeswoman said: "Some people working on the pavement there fractured a medium pressure gas main with plant machinery.

"The police and fire brigade took the decision to evacuate the immediate area.

"Safety has got to be everybody's top priority in such a situation."

Acting Inspector Andy Reed of South Wales Police said engineers isolated the damaged section of gas main.

Fire officers were monitoring gas levels.

Workers were evacuated to a local hotel but most then went home.

"Most smaller businesses closed for the day and sent staff home," said Inspector Reed.

A large number of lorries which were heading for the estate were forced to pull up in lay-bys.

Traffic was diverted away from the scene causing long tailbacks

A worker at an electronics firm in Valley Way, speaking earlier, said police and fire officers had been calling at businesses in the area and telling staff to evacuate their offices.

She said: "We have been asked to leave the building.

"You can smell the gas. The leak is about 400 metres away."

One worker said: "The police came to the premises about 1130 BST asked them to shut all their machinery off and to evacuate the building as quickly as possible."