A major gas leak at Ferndown Industrial Estate sparked a large emergency response on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people and causing disruption across the area for much of the day.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it was called to the incident at 12:14pm after a vehicle struck a small gas main on the industrial estate. Emergency crews quickly moved to secure the area as fears grew over the potential danger posed by the leak.
Around 200 people were evacuated from nearby businesses and premises while emergency services established a 25-metre exclusion zone to keep the public safe. Roads around the estate were closed as firefighters, police officers and gas engineers worked together to bring the situation under control.
The leak continued for several hours before fire officials confirmed it had finally stopped shortly before 5:25pm.
Fire crews from Ferndown and Wimborne remained at the scene throughout the afternoon alongside Dorset Police and representatives from the Gas Board. Dorset Police said officers were assisting with road closures and helping manage the wider safety operation around the industrial estate.
Witnesses described a tense atmosphere as workers and visitors were asked to leave buildings and stand clear of the affected area. Businesses across the estate were disrupted, with some forced to shut entirely while emergency services carried out safety checks.
Among those impacted was local animal rescue charity Dorset Cats, which announced it had closed “with immediate effect” because of the incident.
In a statement shared on Facebook, the charity reassured supporters that all animals at the facility remained safe despite the disruption.
“Please be assured that all of our cats are safe and continue to be cared for by our team,” the statement said.
The organisation added that it would remain closed until further notice while emergency services dealt with the aftermath of the leak.
Although the damaged gas main was described as “small”, incidents involving gas infrastructure are treated extremely seriously because of the risk of explosion or inhalation hazards. Emergency responders often establish exclusion zones as a precaution while engineers isolate the leak and test surrounding areas for safety.
No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident.
The cause of the collision that damaged the gas main has not yet been confirmed, and it remains unclear when businesses affected by the evacuation will be able to fully reopen.
