Gas leak near high school

A gas leak has sprung little more than a block away from Pukekohe High School.

The leak occurred at the intersection of John St and Nelson St, in Pukekohe, south of Auckland.

Police senior sergeant Rob Arnold, of Pukekohe, said about 30 people had been evacuated from houses within 200 metres along Nelson St, John St and Collie Rd.

People had been blocked from entering.

The leak happened when a work crew digging a hole for a post struck a gas line about 3pm.

The gas company had arrived and was hoping to isolate and stop the leak by 5.15pm, Mr Arnold said.

People would then be allowed to return.

A spokeswoman for Pukekohe High School said police had told the school to stop students from going home along John St.

Glenbrook machinery, a shop on Nelson St about 300m east of the intersection, said people on the street at least down to their shop had been told to evacuate.

The Pukekohe Cosmopolitan Club, on the other side of the intersection, said the fire brigade was at the scene, and Nelson St was blocked from John St east.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE