The Times
Wednesday 28 December 1949
Explosion at Gas Works
Supplies Cut Off From Large Area
Some 40,0000 people in the area served by the Brierfield gasworks, near Burnley, Lancashire, have been without gas supplies since the afternoon of Christmas Day, when a severe explosion occurred at the works. The explosion injured one man slightly. Others on duty had just moved to another part pf the works. Windows were blwon out of shops in the main road 200 yards away. A fire which broke out after the explosion was brought under control quickly and four large gasholders were sealed off. Families in the area were evacuated for some hours. Police officers toured the district with loud-speaker vans instructing residents in Nelson, Brierfield, Barrowford, Wheatley Lane, Fence, and other areas not to use gas, for should the level in the gasholders fall too low air would enter the system with, possibly disastrous results. A great number of houses in the district affected by the ban are illuminated only by gas, so that the residents were compelled to use candles. It will probably take a few days before supplies of gas are available. Gas engineers and other workers were called in over the holiday and worked day and night to clear the débris and arrange for temporary supplies to be connected from Colne and Burnley.
_________________ Mel
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