Vauxhall: Gas leak at nursery sees buildings evacuated

BBC Fire engine on Jonathan StreetBBC
LFB crews were called to the leak in the early hours of Thursday

About 200 people have been evacuated from their homes due to a gas leak at a nursery, London Fire Brigade (LFB) has said.

Emergency services were alerted at about 04:30 GMT to the incident in Jonathan Street, Vauxhall.

Two people have received medical treatment and a respite centre has been set up for the affected residents.

Disruption is likely for the rest of the day, as a 100m (328ft) cordon is in place with several roads closed.

Steve Howlett, from the LFB, told BBC London: "It's a very disruptive event at 04:30 being asked to leave your building but the community have been very stoic.

"We've had lots of engagement and lots of support from local cafes and businesses helping the community that we've evacuated."

A spokesperson from Cadent Gas said: "Our engineers arrived on site to assess the situation and are in the process of carrying out repairs.

"Throughout the day, we have been carrying out excavation and repair works to try and ensure residents can return to their homes as soon as possible.

"Work is still ongoing and we continue to work with the emergency services and the local authority to provide support to residents who have been affected."