About 40 people were evacuated from their homes in Mendham this afternoon amid fears of an explosion of nearby gas cylinders.Fire crews from Harleston, Stradbroke and Bungay were called to Studio Corner, The Street at 2.
About 40 people were evacuated from their homes in Mendham this afternoon amid fears of an explosion of nearby gas cylinders.
Fire crews from Harleston, Stradbroke and Bungay were called to Studio Corner, The Street at 2.10pm after a garden fire broke out near two large acetylene cylinders.
A cordon of 100m was put in place and residents living within that zone were taken to a nearby church and elderly care home while fire crews assessed the situation.
Firefighters cooled the cylinders and most people were allowed to return to their homes, although at 4pm a 20m cordon remained in place while the final safety checks were being made.
A Suffolk fire service spokesman said the remaining 12 people were expected to be able to return to their homes in Mendham, near Harleston, in the next couple of hours.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here