Pledge to restore power to homes

Dec 24 2008

Residents who feared a cold Christmas after a gas main ruptured and halted supplies to thousands of homes have displayed true British spirit in the face of adversity.

Around 18,000 homes in the Rossendale area of Lancashire were left without fuel on Monday after a gas main ruptured.

The glitch meant many families feared being unable to cook their Christmas Day turkey.

The incident also knocked out electricity to 30,000 homes in the area but United Utilities restored supplies on Monday night.

National Grid has pledged that residents who were at home to answer the door to their engineers would be reconnected.

Around 6,000 homes have been reconnected since Tuesday night by an army of up to 300 engineers, National Grid said.

Homes in Bacup, Waterfoot, Rawtenstall, Newchurch and Crawshawbooth were all affected when the ruptured main set light to an overhead power cable in Holme Lane, Rawtenstall.

Work to repair the damaged gas pipe was completed on Tuesday morning, but engineers have had to repressurise and test the system and check each individual property.

After Monday's rupture, the National Grid warned householders that gas may not be restored in time for Christmas Day.

Tor View School in Haslingden has become the nerve centre for the big switch-on operation, with engineers poring over maps of the area spread out on the floor.