Store evacuated after gas leak

Scotmid in the centre of the village was closed for five hours as a result of the scare yesterday.

The area next to the supermarket was cordoned off as a precaution following the scare which happened at lunchtime. There were no reports of anyone having been affected by the fumes.

A Scotmid spokesman said: “The issue originated from a gas leak from a refrigerator and, as soon as the store’s staff were made aware of the situation, the fire service were called and a thorough investigation took place.

“As a community convenience retailer, the safety of our customers and staff is paramount, so the store was evacuated during the process undertaken by the fire service. It reopened five hours later once the problem had been identified and resolved, and the refrigerator had been fixed.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue service said: “At 12:36pm on Sunday we responded to a fire alarm that at business premises on Carfin Street.

“Four appliances subsequently attended and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus investigated the area and ensured it was safe before leaving the scene.

“A cordon was set up at the time as a precaution.”