Emergency services have launched a major response in a West Sussex coastal village after a car collided with a gas substation, forcing residents from their homes in the early hours of the morning.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
The incident occurred on Pagham Road in Pagham on Monday morning. According to the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, a vehicle crashed into the substation, prompting immediate safety measures. A 100-metre exclusion zone was swiftly established around the site.
Fire crews moved quickly to evacuate residents from six flats and a house on Pagham Road as a precaution. Those displaced were taken to the nearby Pagham Church Hall for safety and shelter. Authorities have urged the public to avoid the entire area to allow emergency crews to work unimpeded.
Resident Accounts and Ongoing Disruption
The disruption began for locals at approximately 3.30 am, when many reported hearing a loud bang. One resident described leaving his home and hearing a distinct hiss of gas following the collision.
Local resident Jon Coker and his mother were among those awakened by police at their door at around 4:30 am. "I was really disorientated, I didn't know what was going on. It was the police," Mr Coker told the BBC. He noted that while police were on the scene, the smell of gas had subsided by the time he was outside, adding, "It wasn't a great start to a Monday morning."
Road Closures and Repair Timeline
The aftermath of the crash has caused significant local disruption. The junction of Pagham Road and Hook Lane remains closed to all motorists while the emergency operation continues.
A spokesperson for the gas company, SGN, confirmed that engineers are on-site working to repair the damaged gas governor. "We're working to repair our gas governor at the junction of Pagham Road and Hook Lane following third party damage," the spokesperson said, adding that it is currently "too early to say" when evacuated residents will be allowed to return to their properties. Safety checks and damage assessments are ongoing.
