A number of homes in Cupar had to be evacuated when road maintenance contractors accidentally fractured a gas main, setting it alight.
The dramatic incident unfolded on Westfield Road, at its junction with South Union Street, at around 2.30pm yesterday.
Eighteen households were told to leave their properties as fire crews tackled the blaze which was being continually fuelled by leaking gas.
Fife Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that a tar boiler, used by workers to carry out an extensive programme of road resurfacing work in the area, unintentionally ran over the top of an exposed gas stand pipe.
The collision resulted in a fracture which allowed gas to escape then burst into flames when it came into contact with the boiling tar.
Emergency services were alerted and around 30 firefighters attended along with six appliances.
A cordon was set up around the site and temporary road diversions put in place as crews tackled the fire.EvacuationA spokesperson for Fife Fire and Rescue said, “We had to cool the boundaries which we did with monitors. The tar laying machine and the gas main were alight so it was thought best to evacuate the nearby properties.”
Molly Clunie, whose house in South Union Street was just outside the cordon, was working in her home office when she heard the commotion.
She said, “I didn’t hear a bang, but I spoke to a gentleman who saw what he thought was a gas container blow up and he said flames shot out and everyone ran.”
Despite being just yards from the drama, she said, “I’m not worried because there are a lot of people between me and the gas. It seems the tar machine fractured the gas main. I was told the gas had been ignited by the flames underneath the tar machine.”
Olive and Norman Dunn’s Kirkgate home was also on the edge of the cordon. They were at home when the fire began.
Mrs Dunn said, “There was an awful lot of white smoke billowing up at the corner of the street. The smell was coming into the house. It was overpowering.”
Norman said he saw flames coming up from the truck.Refuge establishedA refuge centre for evacuated residents was set up at nearby Bell Baxter High School providing shelter and light refreshments.
Meanwhile specialist gas engineers attended the scene. A spokesman for the Scotland Gas Network said, “The fire is still burning but is under control. Fire crews are doing their job.
“The main problem was that the gas main was damaged and the gas is burning. So we have been constructing a ‘by-pass’ and working around the gas main so that the gas flows around it and therefore the gas eventually goes out.
“This will be completed later tonight and the gas will be extinguished.”
He explained why residents were moved out of their homes.
“Seven people were moved because the road is narrow it wasn’t done because their homes were at risk,” he added.
“Eighteen homes were involved and Fife Council were organising this by giving them temporary accommodation and looking after them. We will make sure the road is okay before they return, but it’s hoped they will get back tonight.”
Dougie Potter, emergency planning team leader, said, “Following an incident earlier this afternoon when a tar laying machine went on fire in Westfield Avenue, Cupar, we evacuated seven people from their homes as a precautionary measure.
“At present they are being looked after at an emergency rest centre, situated at Bell Baxter High School. All of the evacuees are fine and we are continuing to work with the other emergency services to closely monitor and assess the situation.”