Pagham homes evacuated after car crashes into gas substation

A 100-metre cordon is in place in Pagham Road following the incident which was first reported at 3.48am today (Monday, November 24).

Residents from seven properties have been evacuated to Pagham Village Hall.

Gas company SGN said it is ‘too early to say’ when residents can safely return to their homes.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (WSFRS) said three fire engines were mobilised to the scene.

“Upon arrival crews found a vehicle that had collided with a gas substation,” a WSFRS spokesperson said.

“Firefighters remain on scene alongside West Sussex County Council’s Resilience and Emergencies Team and officers from Arun District Council and we are working alongside SGN to make the scene safe while they carry out repairs.

“Parts of Pagham Road are expected to remain closed, and we would encourage people to avoid the area for the time being.”

Dan Brown, a spokesperson for SGN, said staff are working to repair the gas governor at the junction of Pagham Road and Hook Lane.

“A vehicle collided with our network infrastructure this morning,” he said.

“Our engineers are assessing the damage to the governor and carrying out safety checks in the area.

“As a precaution, premises around the site of the incident have been evacuated.

"It’s too early to say when affected residents can safely return to their properties.”