A major emergency response was launched on Friday afternoon after a heavy goods vehicle struck a gas pipe in Bootle, leading to the evacuation of the shopping centre and closure of the bus station.
Incident Details
Emergency services were called shortly after midday when the HGV collided with an external gas pipe on a service road beneath the shopping centre. The collision resulted in a gas leak, prompting the evacuation of Bootle Strand and the closure of the adjacent bus station.
Merseytravel first announced the closure of Bootle Strand Bus Station at 12.23pm, citing reports of a gas leak. During the disruption, all services that normally used the station were diverted to start and finish at Washington Parade, while services operating along Stanley Road remained unaffected.
Emergency Response
Emergency services attended the scene after receiving reports of a possible gas leak. A spokesperson for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said crews were alerted at 12.12pm and arrived seven minutes later.
They said: "Crews arrived to find that a heavy goods vehicle had collided with an external gas pipe on a service road underneath the shopping centre. Fire crews are assisting shopping centre staff with an evacuation and Cadent Gas are on scene."
Repair Work
Engineering teams from Cadent Gas were called in to repair what the company described as "third-party damage" to the gas pipe. A Cadent spokesperson later confirmed the leak had been stopped and repair work was underway.
They said: "The gas leak has been stopped and our engineers are repairing the damage. We anticipate all work to be completed by the end of today. Engineers and the Fire Service are completing routine safety checks to the surrounding commercial and residential properties and the shopping centre has been evacuated as a precaution by the property owner."
Road Closures and Evacuation
Sefton Council also confirmed that road closures had been introduced around the area while emergency crews dealt with the incident. The authority said the closures, along with the temporary closure of the shopping centre, car park and bus station, were necessary to keep the public safe.
Shoppers and workers were evacuated from the centre, with one employee telling the ECHO there had been an announcement instructing everyone to leave shortly after midday.
Reopening
As the afternoon progressed, safety inspections were completed and staff were gradually allowed back into the building. Shortly afterwards, passengers were seen returning to the bus station as services resumed. Bootle Strand shopping centre and Bootle bus station have now fully reopened following the incident.
