It was however the second incident of its type in Hastings in a week, with parts of Karamu Rd North and Victoria St closed and some commercial sites evacuated for about an hour after the rupturing of a much smaller (15-20mm) gas pipe on the afternoon of May 9.
Emergency services were alerted at 10.08am to the smell of gas in McLeod St and Omahu Rd, both streets on the boundaries of the hospital.
The source was identified as a ruptured main in Orchard Rd, near Murray Pl, and emergency services gradually closed access to the area at the corner of Orchard Rd and McLeod St, Canning Rd and Stoneycroft St off Omahu Rd, and Lowe St on the southern side of the hospital in the suburb of Camberley.
The Orchard Rd closure included access to the "back" entrance to the hospital while the Canning Rd closure limited access to just emergency services and users of the hospital Emergency Department, Ata Rangi and other appointments, said Hawke's Bay District Health Board communications manager Anna Kirk.
As what a Fire Service spokesman said was a "large gas cloud" settled over the area residents of pensioner flats in Tui Pl were evacuated. Police at one stage said the 120-pupil Camberley School had been evacuated, but new principal Tamla Smith confirmed pupils were assembled in the playground and "buddied" in readiness to go to the evacuation point at nearby Heretaunga Intermediate if necessary.
With gas density in the area checked as safe, ultimately they were not evacuated from the grounds and with the leak capped, the main emergency was over by 1pm, children able to enjoy lunchtime, and neighbours on the northern side of Kiwi St were allowed to return home.
One Fire Service crew remained at the scene throughout the repairs, returning to the Hastings station shortly before 4pm.
A post-emission curtain of water was used by firefighters to mitigate ignition and other issues as the Fire Service awaited a specialist Powerco crew from Napier.
Mr Manning said the crews had done an excellent job in trying circumstances.
Powerco operations manager (gas) Don Elers said the gas main supplied a significant number of industrial customers who were affected while repairs were made.
Camberley residents said they had noticed the smell of gas, and a shopkeeper said it was obvious even over the other aromas in the store.
Kiwi St resident Bridget Paku was among those evacuated from homes on the eastern side of the street, and stood near the entrance to Camberley School, where a small number of parents waited, along with local police officers, to see if children were being evacuated or sent home.
"Being a small community, people could see all the emergency vehicles and were wondering what was going on," she said.