Residents were complaining of gas smells but seems like a lack of action by the gas firm has resulted in the the explosion and loss of life. Police are investigating the cause.
My grandmother lives just up the road from where the explosion happened.
not quite the point, is it, ymb? If gas smells are reported they should be investigated. That remains true even if it turns out the explosion was caused by a bomb.
When I worked for a pre-privatisation Public Utility Gas Company, all reports of gas smells were taken very seriously and immediately investigated. Post-privatisation, presumably the priority turns to profits.
//Post-privatisation, presumably the priority turns to profits.//
Anecdotally, it doesn't.
A neighbour reported smelling gas in her house and an engineer was on her premises within 20 minutes. There is a road junction near me where the smell of gas is often apparent. There is a faulty valve of some sort which they do not seem able to fix, but as soon as a report is made engineers are on site very quickly.