Gas pipe leak disrupts traffic in Uttara

A gas pipe leaked during a road development work in the capital's Uttara last night, causing suspension of traffic movement on the busy Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for about three and a half hours.

Gas from the 10-inch pipe leaked near Mascot Plaza in Uttara around 9:00pm, Shafiqul Islam, senior officer at Fire Service and Civil Defence in Uttara, told The Daily Star.

Long tailbacks were caused on both lanes of the road. Many people were seen trying to reach their destinations on foot.

Mir Mashiur Rahman, acting managing director at Titas Gas Transmission & Distribution Company, said they brought the leak situation under control around midnight.

The officials were working to repair the pipeline, he added.

Visiting the area around 11:00pm, this correspondent found Titas Gas officials working to stop the leak. Police and firefighters were standing by.

Power supply was cut off in the area. Police placed barricades on the road around 150 yards away from the gas leak spot and diverted traffic to nearby alleys.

Ali Hossain Khan, officer-in-charge of Uttara West Police Station, said  movement of traffic resumed on the highway around 12:30am today.