Firefighters have been forced to evacuate part of the main shopping area and library in the Taranaki town of Stratford due to a gas leak.
Deputy chief fire officer Kevan Old said the firefighters were unable to isolate the leak as the rupture was located below a shut-off valve.
![A cordoned off area of the Stratford shops. Photo / Ilona Hanne](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/UDS3XLWN57SG7NZEICKYVLDR74.jpg?auth=254a8fbe740d35f451149492fb9fc294466dcfb4460f51272dce2b9d87c87b4a&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
Officers have therefore evacuated the area as gas was pumping out into the air with a westerly wind currently blowing.
He said the gas authority, who were needed to shut the gas off, were approximately 50 minutes away.