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What To Do in a Gas Emergency
If a gas appliance has been badly fitted or poorly serviced, potential risks include gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Here’s what to do if you smell gas or suspect it’s CO poisoning.
What to do if you smell gas
It’s crucial to act quickly in a gas emergency. These are the steps you need to take to stay safe:
- Get fresh air immediately; make sure you open all doors and windows to ventilate the area.
- Turn off the gas emergency control valve (also called gas emergency shut off valve) at the meter, unless the meter is located in a basement or cellar or at the LPG bulk tank or storage vessels.
- Extinguish all naked flames and don’t smoke.
- Don’t operate electrical switches (including turning light switches on or off) because this can ignite escaping gas.
- Contact the relevant National Gas Emergency service number for your area. We’ve listed these numbers in the next section.
- If the attending emergency operative identifies an issue with any gas appliances, follow their advice concerning the use of the equipment. Where advised, contact a Gas Safe registered engineer to fix the appliance and check it’s safe.
- If you’re feeling unwell, visit your GP or hospital immediately and let them know you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide.
- Don’t turn the gas supply on again until it’s been checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Who to call in a gas emergency
If you smell gas, want to report a gas leak or require gas emergency services, there’s a free, 24-hour National Gas Emergency Helpline you can call.