City bridge opens after gas leak

The road has been partially re-opened

Both city-bound lanes of the Ormeau Road Ormeau Bridge in Belfast have reopened following a major gas leak.

One country-bound lane has also been re-opened, but the other lane will be closed for the foreseeable future.

Two hundred people were evacuated from their homes after arsonists lit a fire under the bridge causing the main gas pipeline to rupture on Monday night.

Road Service engineer John McRobert said the bridge was safe and had not been damaged.

"The bridge is safe, it hasn't suffered any damage whatsoever," he said.

"There was a superficial inspection last night because it was dark, but I have been able to see underneath it in daylight and I am perfectly satisfied that the bridge was not damaged."

Phoenix Gas and the police are investigating the cause of the incident.

'Lucky escape'

Firefighters responded on Monday evening to reports of a rubbish fire near the bridge, but Mr Kerr told BBC Radio 5 Live they had a narrow escape when the situation escalated.

"When the first fire crews arrived they found a fire under the bridge which they were dealing with, and as they were doing so there was an explosion beside the fire crew," he said.

"My officers were very lucky to escape without injury.

An investigation is being carried out into the cause of the fire Phoenix Gas spokesman

"Those officers then went to each end of the bridge to stop traffic and indeed there was a further explosion."

Asked about the cause of the fire, Mr Kerr said: "Sadly, all the indications are that this fire was deliberately set."

Crews had to use the river to extinguish the fire completely as it could not be tackled from the road.

"Two specialist teams and fire and rescue service boats were deployed along the River Lagan and those boats were used as a platform for firefighting operations," Mr Kerr said.

Some residents who had to evacuate their homes took shelter in the nearby Shaftesbury community centre while others were advised to close all doors and windows and to extinguish all naked flames outside.

They were all able to return to their homes in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

A gas company spokesman said: "Phoenix engineers have turned off the gas supply at a fire tonight on the Ormeau Bridge and the area has been made safe.

"Remedial repairs to the damaged gas main are continuing and an investigation is being carried out into the cause of the fire."