Large part of Hale village evacuated as car crashes into Piccolino and triggers gas leak

A large part of Hale village was closed off and evacuated for around three hours this afternoon after a car crashed into the side of Piccolino restaurant and triggered a gas leak.

A silver Jaguar collided with the Crescent Road side of the Italian restaurant at 2.17pm, rupturing a gas pipe and forcing the immediate evacuation of nearby businesses.

It also closed off Ashley Road between the bowling green and Tesco Express, as well as Murieston Road, Crescent Road, Cambridge Road and Cecil Road.

The 80-year-old male driver of the car, said to be a Piccolino regular, was taken by ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital with a minor head injury that police described as “neither life-threatening nor life-changing”.

Below: The silver Jaguar embedded in the side of Piccolino (pic: @maxpounceymmj)

Attempts to stop the gas leak by three fire crews who attended the scene were delayed because the car was blocking the gas mains, a spokesman for Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said.

Local residents reported a “strong” smell of gas in the area at the time.

Once police had managed to remove the car from the side of the wall, engineers from the National Grid were able to access the pipe to stop the leak. A spokesperson said the levels of gas which had escaped were not substantial enough to cause any danger to life or nearby properties.

Shortly before 6pm, Ashley Road was reopened but Piccolino will remain closed for this evening.

By 6.45pm the ruptured pipe had been repaired, the vehicle recovered and a private building company brought in to mend the wall.

Video from the scene:

Pic: Emergency services at the scene on Ashley Road (@haleartisanmkt)