12/05/2005
Cookstown to remain closed as gas alert continues
Part of Cookstown is to remain closed until around teatime today (Tuesday) as emergency services deal with yesterday’s gas cylinder explosion.
Residents in the town centre spent last night in emergency accommodation because of the risk of a gas explosion.
The alert began after a cylinder used by welders on a building site ignited at around 11am. While the resulting blaze was eventually put out, a 200 metre safety exclusion zone was immediately put in place at Chapel Street with four schools - Cookstown Primary School, Cookstown Nursery School, Phoenix Integrated Primary School and Holy Trinity High School - and nearby leisure centre also remaining closed today.
Station Officer Eamon O'Kane said it would be some time before the gas cylinder was declared safe describing the gas as “very explosive”.
(MB)
Residents in the town centre spent last night in emergency accommodation because of the risk of a gas explosion.
The alert began after a cylinder used by welders on a building site ignited at around 11am. While the resulting blaze was eventually put out, a 200 metre safety exclusion zone was immediately put in place at Chapel Street with four schools - Cookstown Primary School, Cookstown Nursery School, Phoenix Integrated Primary School and Holy Trinity High School - and nearby leisure centre also remaining closed today.
Station Officer Eamon O'Kane said it would be some time before the gas cylinder was declared safe describing the gas as “very explosive”.
(MB)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.