At around 8:50pm on Friday 21st June, we received an alert about a fire on a gas main in the Dee Banks/Huntington area of Chester. Our engineers were on site quickly and were part of the emergency response to bring the fire under control.
Thankfully, no one was harmed. The damage was severe and the exact cause remains under investigation.
The Incident in Numbers
An unavoidable consequence of the fire was many properties losing their gas supply.
Our priority was clear, to restore gas to the residents of Chester as safely and quickly as possible.
Over seven days, our team of over 100 engineers worked tirelessly day and night to reintroduce gas very carefully to 18km of impacted gas pipes. We undertook a phased approach and divided the area into 11 zones, comprising approximately 2,500 properties.
Our engineers faced a number of challenges during the operation, but the local community’s response was heartwarming. Despite the difficult circumstances, residents showed kindness, courtesy, and understanding.
Our customer centre at St. Luke’s Church and the command hub at Chester Rugby Club ensured seamless co-ordination. Food vans provided over 4,500 hot meals, and the British Red Cross supported our visits to customers on the Priority Services Register. Cheshire West and Chester Council co-ordinated multi-agency calls to ensure the resources of various agencies were available where needed.
Updates were posted on a dedicated incident webpage, local community Facebook groups and our X (formerly Twitter) incident account.
We received an incredible amount of positive feedback through social media, email and in-person – we recorded and cherished it all. We even had a touching open letter from Huntington council on behalf of Chester residents.
The following are just some of the many positive responses we had from Chester residents:
The way Cadent have handled this situation is the best I’ve seen, very professional
Thanks Cadent, you’ve been wonderful
“I have been impressed with Cadent’s response and support. It has been a difficult situation and your team has been exemplary”
Really nice that Cadent have such clear communication being put out
Thank you ever so much to the lovely Cadent chap who interrupted his ‘brew’ to come back to mine this evening after I missed them earlier today. Even after probably thousands of questions and requests, he was nothing but polite, courteous and helpful
Cadent have done an incredible job restoring us all back to the gas network
Thank you for your dedication to constant communication while you all worked so tirelessly in the hot weather
Cadent have been absolutely first class in their handling of the situation. The proactive communication, approach to dealing with people affected and the speed of response has been quite startling! If only all businesses operated in such a manner!
Nick Jerman, Head of Customer Operations (North West) for Cadent, said:
Kind, courteous and understanding to the team – despite the challenging circumstances everyone found themselves in. We can’t thank everyone enough.
Compensation payments are now being processed, with an offer for direct payments to customers, if that is what they prefer.
Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy. We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change. Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency. Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing.
Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.
Cadent manages the national gas emergency service free phone line on behalf of the gas industry - 0800 111 999*
Cadent Gas Ltd is owned by a consortium of global investors.
*All calls are recorded and may be monitored.
As an organisation providing a vital service to millions of households across the UK, we are keen to be seen as a force for good within the communities we serve.
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