Bonnyton House residents evacuated after gas leak

However it has been stressed there was no risk to residents and that their temporary move was carried out only because the hot water supply had failed.

The alert was sounded after a contractor aiming to work in the home’s boiler house smelled gas and alerted the council’s technical services team.

They ensured the gas was turned off, quickly found that the leak was from a gas mains pipe, and began to dig up the car park to carry out emergency repairs.

Residents were evacuated to Mearns House in Newton Mearns, and will stay there until the problem has been fixed – probably some time on Monday.

Frank White, head of health and community care at East Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) said in a briefing to councillors: “When the problem was identified yesterday it was quickly confirmed by property and technical Services that the gas supply had been isolated and that there was no risk to residents, staff or the building.

“HSCP staff reviewed the options available to us, including evacuation, but given we didn’t know the likely timescale of the repair works at that stage we decided not to take that course of action yesterday.

“The ovens in the kitchen are electric, and although the gas hobs were unavailable to our catering staff, we used the kitchen at the Kirkton Centre to prepare additional food and the evening passed with no disruption to residents.

“Today (Friday) it was confirmed that the repairs will take until Monday and that hot water would no longer be available as the residual supply from the boiler ran down.

“Given these circumstances we took the decision to evacuate the 24 residents from the building to an alternative care home”.

He added: “The families were contacted and have been very understanding of the situation. “The council’s transport staff have arranged additional transport and the move has gone very smoothly.

“We are very aware that this move will be distressing for some residents but our staff have worked really hard to ensure as little disruption as possible.”

Repair work will continue throughout the weekend, and is expected to be completed on Monday.