A number of people were treated for the effects of gas inhalation following a major gas leak at a construction site in Co Clare yesterday. Dozens of homes were evacuated and traffic was disrupted for over three hours.
The accident and emergency department at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Ennis was on standby. However, all those who complained of nausea were treated at the scene.
A section of low-pressure gas pipeline was accidentally fractured during construction of the western ring road, part of the Ennis bypass, on the main N18 Ennis to Limerick road. The bypass is being built by Gama Construction.
Engineers declared the area safe at 2.45pm, two hours after the incident was reported.