'Explosion risk' after Stockholm gas leak
Police were warning on Monday evening that a gas leak in Stockholm could cause an explosion.
The leak in the port area of Frihamnen was caused by an accident involving a truck. Emergency services were sealing off the area late on Monday afternoon.
The gas is leaking from a pipe on the junction of Tullverksgatan and Tegelusddvägen, in an area in which the road surface had been dug up, according to Aftonbladet.
An ambulance was reported to be attending the scene and staff from gas supplier Fortum were at 5.30pm on their way. Fortum spokesman Jens Bjöörn said the risk of an explosion was low if the gas was leaking into the open air.
"It is usually undramatic as the gas is lighter than air. For the gas to explode it would be necessary for the gas to be in an enclosed space and for it to reach a certain mix with the air." Bjöörn admitted that there was a risk of an enclosed space being created as emergency services dig to reach the source of the leak.
The site of the leak is only 100 metres from stock market operator OMX's head office. OMX spokesman Jonas Rodny said the company had not evacuated and was acting on the instructions of the emergency services.
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The leak in the port area of Frihamnen was caused by an accident involving a truck. Emergency services were sealing off the area late on Monday afternoon.
The gas is leaking from a pipe on the junction of Tullverksgatan and Tegelusddvägen, in an area in which the road surface had been dug up, according to Aftonbladet.
An ambulance was reported to be attending the scene and staff from gas supplier Fortum were at 5.30pm on their way. Fortum spokesman Jens Bjöörn said the risk of an explosion was low if the gas was leaking into the open air.
"It is usually undramatic as the gas is lighter than air. For the gas to explode it would be necessary for the gas to be in an enclosed space and for it to reach a certain mix with the air." Bjöörn admitted that there was a risk of an enclosed space being created as emergency services dig to reach the source of the leak.
The site of the leak is only 100 metres from stock market operator OMX's head office. OMX spokesman Jonas Rodny said the company had not evacuated and was acting on the instructions of the emergency services.
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