Hundreds of people are evacuated from shops and offices in London’s Leicester Square
Hundreds of people are evacuated from shops and offices as London’s Leicester Square is cordoned off over suspected gas leak
Police evacuated around 200 people from Leicester Square this morning Tens of offices and shops affected by a suspected gas leak in central London Police are asking people to ‘avoid the area’ while investigations continue
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Around 200 people have been evacuated from Leicester Square because of a suspected gas leak.
Police this morning forced hotel guests, shoppers and office staff to abandon the area before a 50-yard cordon was put up in the central London square.
Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters from Soho and Euston Fire Stations are at the scene after a ‘gas main ruptured’.
Clive Robinson, London Fire Brigade’s station commander, said: ‘A gas main has ruptured and around 200 people have been evacuated from surrounding buildings and a hotel.
‘Crews are expected to remain on scene throughout the morning.’
A post on the Metropolitan Police’s Westminster Twitter page asked pedestrians to ‘avoid the area’.
Police have asked staff in tens of offices and shops to abandon the area after the central London square was cordoned off (file image)
A post on the Met Police’s Westminster Twitter page reads: ‘Cordons are in place at Leicester Square due to a suspected gas leak’
The post added: ‘Cordons are in place at Leicester Square due to a suspected gas leak.
‘Emergency services are in attendance and managing the incident. A number of buildings have been evacuated as a precaution, and the square is currently closed to pedestrians. Please avoid the area.’
Police this morning forced hotel guests, shoppers and office staff to abandon the area before a 50-yard cordon was put up in the central London square
London Fire Brigade confirmed gas engineers are now in the square trying to repair the leak.
A spokesman for the brigade said: ‘Crews were called at 7.01am to reports of a gas leak in Leicester Square.
‘Around 200 people have been evacuated from nearby properties and a 50 metre cordon remains in place.
‘Engineers from Cadent gas are working to repair the gas leak.’
