We could have been blown up!

Mar 30 2009 by Bryan Brough, Paisley Daily Express

DESPERATE thieves nearly caused a major explosion after they cut into copper piping supplying gas to a rundown block of flats.

Lives were put in jeopardy as they tried to nick copper from the building in Foxbar, Paisley, hoping to sell it on the black market for big bucks.

As they sliced through the piping, gas started to escape and the panicking thieves ran off empty-handed leaving locals at risk of being blown up.

Sometime later ,residents noticed a strong smell of gas and alerted the police.

A squad of officers cordoned off a busy road next to the gas-filled building and warned people living nearby of the danger.

Gas engineers were called to the scene.

The drama in Mannering Way, which looks on to Brediland Road, left locals worried.

A row of houses there has already been demolished and others are about to be pulled down.

It was in one of those blocks that the gas scare happened.

One 33-year-old woman said: “These people put lives at risk. Anything could have happened. Anybody could have got caught up in an explosion if the leak hadn’t been spotted.

“We told the police and they were here within minutes.”

The area was roped off and later gas engineers arrived. Brediland Road was closed to traffic for a while.

Another local said: “I saw them taking readings to see how much gas was in the block of flats.

“They didn’t go inside and went to the other side of the building, where the supply pipe was, and turned it off.

“A little later they went inside to inspect the damage to the leaky pipe.

“I heard thieves had tried to steal copper piping to sell it.

“They must have thought there was no gas in the pipe, that is, until they cut into it.

“When they realised what they had done, they fled. They obviously feared an explosion.”

Last night, a gas expert said: “There could have been a blast. If a naked flame had been held next to the pipe an explosion would have been likely.”

Later a spokeswoman for Scottish Gas Networks said: “Engineers were called out to property in Paisley where there had been damage to a service pipe in a building.

“Police were at the scene and had cordoned off a large area.

“Our engineers stopped the supply of gas to the building and made it safe.”

A police spokesman said: “A section of copper piping was damaged. We are trying to find out how this gas pipe was fractured.”