Overview

• About 20 homes near Goose House Lane were evacuated on Tuesday after a significant mains leak prompted a multi‑agency response.
• Two Darwen fire engines were called at 13:37 to assist Cadent, with residents reporting a strong gas smell and an audible hissing at the scene.
• Cadent said engineers responded to a report of third‑party damage to a gas pipe and asked nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed.
• Local traffic controls remain in place on Goose House Lane, with one side closed and two‑way signals, and drivers are urged to use alternative routes.
• Initial claims of hundreds of evacuations were later corrected by the fire service, which said the number was far lower.