Loose Screw Causes Gas Meter Leak
Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
In September 2022, a gas meter in the Kincaidston Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, was found to be 'bubbling' due to a loose screw, raising concerns among residents still reeling from a devastating house explosion in the area just months earlier.
Rikki Bell, a 34-year-old qualified plumber and heating engineer, captured shocking footage of the gas leak at his parents' home on Sorrel Drive. Bell's parents had noticed the smell of gas near their front door and porch, prompting their son to investigate.
Using leak detector fluid, Bell discovered that a nut on the meter, which had been installed just nine months earlier as part of major replacement works following the Gorse Park explosion, had not been properly tightened. "It was basically tightened by hand," Bell explained, adding that it took about four full turns with a spanner to stop the leak.
Rikki’s mum, Tracy Bell, contacted SGN, the gas network operator, but was disappointed by their response. She felt that the customer service agent and engineer downplayed the severity of the issue, stating, "To be told it is just a loose screw is not good enough… It does not fill you with confidence — I do not understand how it could have happened, and it is gas, it is dangerous and it is not a water tap. Things like this should be checked and checked again.”
This incident emphasizes the critical importance of properly installed and maintained gas fittings and the potential consequences of even seemingly minor issues like loose screws.
In September 2022, a gas meter in the Kincaidston Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, was found to be 'bubbling' due to a loose screw, raising concerns among residents still reeling from a devastating house explosion in the area just months earlier.
Rikki Bell, a 34-year-old qualified plumber and heating engineer, captured shocking footage of the gas leak at his parents' home on Sorrel Drive. Bell's parents had noticed the smell of gas near their front door and porch, prompting their son to investigate.
Using leak detector fluid, Bell discovered that a nut on the meter, which had been installed just nine months earlier as part of major replacement works following the Gorse Park explosion, had not been properly tightened. "It was basically tightened by hand," Bell explained, adding that it took about four full turns with a spanner to stop the leak.
Rikki’s mum, Tracy Bell, contacted SGN, the gas network operator, but was disappointed by their response. She felt that the customer service agent and engineer downplayed the severity of the issue, stating, "To be told it is just a loose screw is not good enough… It does not fill you with confidence — I do not understand how it could have happened, and it is gas, it is dangerous and it is not a water tap. Things like this should be checked and checked again.”
This incident emphasizes the critical importance of properly installed and maintained gas fittings and the potential consequences of even seemingly minor issues like loose screws.
Loose Screw Causes Gas Meter Leak
Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
In September 2022, a gas meter in the Kincaidston Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, was found to be 'bubbling' due to a loose screw, raising concerns among residents still reeling from a devastating house explosion in the area just months earlier.
Rikki Bell, a 34-year-old qualified plumber and heating engineer, captured shocking footage of the gas leak at his parents' home on Sorrel Drive. Bell's parents had noticed the smell of gas near their front door and porch, prompting their son to investigate.
Using leak detector fluid, Bell discovered that a nut on the meter, which had been installed just nine months earlier as part of major replacement works following the Gorse Park explosion, had not been properly tightened. "It was basically tightened by hand," Bell explained, adding that it took about four full turns with a spanner to stop the leak.
Rikki’s mum, Tracy Bell, contacted SGN, the gas network operator, but was disappointed by their response. She felt that the customer service agent and engineer downplayed the severity of the issue, stating, "To be told it is just a loose screw is not good enough… It does not fill you with confidence — I do not understand how it could have happened, and it is gas, it is dangerous and it is not a water tap. Things like this should be checked and checked again.”
This incident emphasizes the critical importance of properly installed and maintained gas fittings and the potential consequences of even seemingly minor issues like loose screws.
In September 2022, a gas meter in the Kincaidston Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland, was found to be 'bubbling' due to a loose screw, raising concerns among residents still reeling from a devastating house explosion in the area just months earlier.
Rikki Bell, a 34-year-old qualified plumber and heating engineer, captured shocking footage of the gas leak at his parents' home on Sorrel Drive. Bell's parents had noticed the smell of gas near their front door and porch, prompting their son to investigate.
Using leak detector fluid, Bell discovered that a nut on the meter, which had been installed just nine months earlier as part of major replacement works following the Gorse Park explosion, had not been properly tightened. "It was basically tightened by hand," Bell explained, adding that it took about four full turns with a spanner to stop the leak.
Rikki’s mum, Tracy Bell, contacted SGN, the gas network operator, but was disappointed by their response. She felt that the customer service agent and engineer downplayed the severity of the issue, stating, "To be told it is just a loose screw is not good enough… It does not fill you with confidence — I do not understand how it could have happened, and it is gas, it is dangerous and it is not a water tap. Things like this should be checked and checked again.”
This incident emphasizes the critical importance of properly installed and maintained gas fittings and the potential consequences of even seemingly minor issues like loose screws.
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