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Freezing East Barnet households are slowly getting gas back

8:29am Tuesday 22nd December 2009 in


MOST of the water has been pumped out of the gas system in East Barnet Village and gas is beginning to return.

Now water has to be siphoned from each household's own pipes individually before their gas supply can be switched back on.

National Grid engineers worked late into the night to start doing this.

According to the head of operations, Dave Leutchford, some households saw an end to their ordeal last night, when engineers were able to switch their supply back on.

“It's a case of pumping out the water from individual properties,” he said.

“They have varying pressure which will affect their supply. Will we get everyone back for Christmas? We don't know but we'll move heaven and earth to do it.”

An emergency team from the National Grid has been working on the problem since Sunday, after a water main burst in York Road which led to water escaping into the gas supply.

Barnet Council, the Red Cross and Barnet Police have also been helping.

Snow, which started falling in mid-afternoon yesterday, has slowed the process down, with gas engineers heading out by foot to the affected households.

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Comments(33)

tas447 says...
12:48pm Tue 22 Dec 09

When I rang the National Grid today at luchtime, they said they didn't know if our gas would be on before christmas. We are still waiting for an engineer to turn up. Nobody has called, we have only recieved 1 letter of notice.
The emergency centre at St Mary's school don't know anything and the workers have been making comments about going home to have a hot bath and central heated houses in front of some residents.

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TheColdAngel says...
1:28pm Tue 22 Dec 09

I just spoke to my Mum who wasn't affected. She had a visit from an engineer, she was told that they aren't rushing to get supplies back in time for Christmas at all and company has been contracted to do the work. I am at work today, but so far we haven't had any visits from any engineers. They have indicated also that water could have got into the gas systems within the households and veolia water is liable.
Merry Christmas eh! Happy Days, its hard to explain to a 18 month old and 2.5 yr old why its so cold not to mention electric heaters being expensive to run a danger to children of that age.

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KP270 says...
2:58pm Tue 22 Dec 09

We received a call yesterday evening from the national grid to give us good news that the problem had been resolved and that the engineers are now connecting each household and that this should happen by mid-day today. That seems to have been premature!
We have since been advised to get up-to-date information from the centre at St Mary's school. I am not sure that the man who seems to be the foreman there is aware that the helpline is directing concerned residents his way though and that he is expected to be the source of knowledge to us. He is rude and aggressive and frankly should not be dealing with the public who are concerned, worried and anxious about the lack of heating in their homes and without knowledge of how much longer the current situation is likely to continue.
I am aware that this was no fault of the gas company, and probably no fault of the water company either. Some civility however and an appreciation of what residents are going through would not go amiss. This man really should not be dealing with people in crisis who need information and reassurance- not to be treated as a nuisance.

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TheColdAngel says...
4:05pm Tue 22 Dec 09

My friend is dropping around an electric radiator later, I didn't think I could get so excited about one of those. He said he has had a visit from the engineers and didn't have a clue what it was about as he hasn't been affected either. Looking at this site has given me more upto date information than I could get anywhere else. Never mind.

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Ebenezer says...
9:51pm Tue 22 Dec 09

Why dont you lot stop whingeing? You are all symptomatic of the British disease..to see the worst in everything,to make a drama out of a crisis and to seek to blame. What happened to the Dunkirk spirit? If you really want to do some good,go check up on elderly disabled neighbours,clear their snow covered paths,make them a hot drink,sit and have a chat...but for heavens sake,stop bleating about something that was unforeseen,is a difficult problems to solve,and involves hundreds of people travelling frrom far and wide,being away from their families,working late into the night in freezing conditions. Now button it.

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KP270 says...
10:25pm Tue 22 Dec 09

"make them a hot drink,sit and have a chat..." rather a naive comment when they have no heating! The people trying to solve this problem couldn't find their way out of a paperbag! And certainly have given no impression to suggest that they care one way or another about whether our families and the elderly are left without heat for a third freezing night!

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Ebenezer says...
10:35pm Tue 22 Dec 09

Electric kettle?...Perhaps you could advise how to effectively evacuate thousands of gallons of water from a diverse network of invisible pipes which were never meant to hold water and then get the supply running reliably and safely...its tough..and to do it within a few days before Christmas with the media spotlight upon you? not easy...all done by team from across the country there to help with no expectation of extra pay. Do you do unpaid overtime for the greater good of the public and to help your company?

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KP270 says...
10:42pm Tue 22 Dec 09

Ebenezer I really don't think you have any idea what I do or what the residents of Barnet are going through. As I said in my original post- it's not anyone's "fault" but the attitude of the foreman on the ground and lack of information from the national grid has been quite amateurish to say the least- like people who've never dealt with a crisis

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Mr Reasonable says...
10:56pm Tue 22 Dec 09

My electricty meter is spinning so fast it could alter the gravitational field of the earth! Will there be any compensation to cover the huge electricty bills people are going to run up?

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Ebenezer says...
7:53am Wed 23 Dec 09

Lord knows how the great British public would manage if something really dramatic happened like a natural disaster or even an invasion by a foreign power. It seems like half of Barnet & luton would run up the white flag on the first day. Compensation? Well if you want heat you would either spend it on gas (which you dont have) or spend it on electric. The electric is marginally more expensive but it isnt the end of the world. On the subject of compensation...who will compensate national grids fine body of men who have left their homes and families at this time of year,giving up holidays for no extra pay? I was talking to some of the lads and they said that they are on a monthly salary and dont get paid for overtime. they just do the job,irrespective of how many hours they work...and they dont get any expenses either save for £5 overnight allowance. Would you travel a couple of hundred miles to work in a strange town,in the cold,ice and snow,be away from your family in the run up to Christmas..and for no extra pay?? You'd want double time at least i bet...so why not give them a break?? It will all be over in a week or so and what passes for normality can return to Barnet.

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frozen but smiling says...
8:16am Wed 23 Dec 09

Good Morning Ebenezer, I am gathering by the time when your comments were sent that you have electricity? I live with my parents who are 2 elderly people and my young son. We had no gas and no electricty all day yesterday and none in the evening. The electricity has been off and on since Monday and we have had no gas supply. So far we have not received a letter or has anybody visited.

All I can say is that I am pleased I live with my parents, because god knows how any old person living on their own is coping.

Stop preaching I think that everybody would agree that the gas and electric people on the roads are working very hard but where is the council??? they should be knocking on peoples door checking they are okay - or will this happen when somebody has died of the freezing conditions??

Also on Barnet Online website it states that houses without gas do have electricity, I would LOVE to know where they get their information from.

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Mr Reasonable says...
8:27am Wed 23 Dec 09

Ebenezer, I don't know when you last read your utility bill but electricity is between 3 and 4 time more expensive per KWh than gas. That isn't marginal. Also if you haven't had a bath or shower since Saturday because you have no hot water it is quite hard to feel sorry for the national grid staff who are going home to their warm houses.
Try showing some empathy for those people who are suffering in what are extremely cold weather conditions.

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tas447 says...
9:14am Wed 23 Dec 09

Ebenezer, just tell us, where do you live? does this actually affect you? have you got gas and electricity? You can't seem to understand how severe this is, and just how long this is going to go on for. People like you, seem to enjoy winding others up, just for the fun of it. I pray that this happens to you. Lets see how you cope with 1 hot air blower (abit like yourself)

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coldinbarnet says...
9:53am Wed 23 Dec 09

If Ebenezer doesn't think its that much more expensive to heat your house with electricity maybe he should give us his address and we could all go to his house to keep warm. Our gas was shut off yesterday and the only information we have been given is that someone will come back to turn it on when the pressure is corrected. I agree with the other posts that whilst no-one is to blame for this situation, information on when we will be able to shower or bath again would be very much appreciated. The snow is not looking quite as pretty now!!

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Mr Reasonable says...
1:07pm Wed 23 Dec 09

I have just come back from St Marys to try and get some information as to when we might get reconnected. Thery are not giving out any useful information but they did say that Crescent Road is now a priority and that householders are being evacuated. Apparently the surge in demand for electricty has resulted in the electicity supply cable burning through which has meant a complete loss of power for and which will take several days to repair!

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anotherEBresident says...
3:03pm Wed 23 Dec 09

I am one of those who currently has no gas or electricity. I also have a severely disabled daughter, prone to illness, who needs to be kept at least vaguely warm - and also needs to be connected to an electric feeding pump a lot of the day. Luckily we've been able to decamp to my parents, but it's taken its toll on her as without her specialist sleeping system (& familiar routines) she doesn't sleep well, is in increased pain and has more seizures. Every time I have rung the gas or electricity "helpline" type numbers I have told them about my daughter and no-one has once suggested any extra help. When we still had electricity we walked (slid? Great way of keeping warm - push a wheelchair in the snow & ice!) to St Mary's, battled past the rubbish thrown on the ramp, and were greeted (I assume) by the same foreman who has been previously mentioned - whose answer to the ramp situation was to offer a local PC to help carry the wheelchair down the steps, and who thrust a heater (not cooking appliances left) at us and couldn't wait to be rid of us. I DO appreciate the hard work going on to try and get things going again, but yes it's ridiculous that we're not kept better informed- I'm getting most of my info from the electricity lads who are digging up outside my house. Interesting to note that EDF hasn't published any helpline number...
Also if we leave our homes to try to keep warm, we won't be home when the gas engineers come to try and reconnect us anyway! (Not that my heating will work without the electricity too). Catch 22 really.
And I'm one of the lucky ones as I do have relatives I can stay with - if not it would either be a hotel I can ill afford, or probably next stop would be Barnet Hospital children's ward!

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Ebenezer says...
5:05pm Wed 23 Dec 09

I appreciate it isnt much fun. I have my thermal long johns and thermal long sleeved vest on. Maybe its time to think about NG/EDF forming an alliance,commandeeri
ng a public building,and laying on an alternative xmas lunch and other comforts...maybe a building in the locality which has showers/heating/what
ever..? Get some celeb chefs or simialr down to do the cooking with some drinks and entertainment..it might be time to draw the line and say...sorry folks,it wont be on for Xmas day..

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anotherEBresident says...
5:51pm Wed 23 Dec 09

What a fantastic idea, Ebenezer! Shall I just ring around a few celeb chefs & see if they'd like to spend their Xmas cooking for us moaning, whingeing East Barnet residents instead of having dinner with their families? Wonder if their phone numbers are on bt.com?

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Ebenezer says...
6:33pm Wed 23 Dec 09

I can appreciate that you could not command such attention EBresident but I'm sure a Global Co like NG and EDF could make things happen. I'm sure their tired and frozen workers could do with a break too. Sometimes you just have to admit defeat,draw a line,and adopt plan B.

I doubt expect you to be able to do much apart from spread negative vibes.

Perhaps you could be in chargae of stirring the gravy??

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frozen but smiling says...
9:54pm Wed 23 Dec 09

Ebenezer come on I think it is about time you reveal yourself, as your sense of humour intrigues me!!!!!

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walsh3017 says...
10:20pm Wed 23 Dec 09

Has anyone met that guy at St marys school.!! What a rude ignorant (i want to use foul language) ****. We were told to get our heater and hot plate... He questioned me and all i got was a heater as they had no hot plates left. He should be sacked what a prat!

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walsh3017 says...
10:24pm Wed 23 Dec 09

Ebenezer are you experiencing what we are going through right now.... NOOO well why dont you go suck a lemon and if your that concerned about other people why dont you help them instead of slating people for being anxious about not having heating over christmas... I think your a bit of a sour grape to be honest and i pray that when my gas does eventually come back on you experienc the same problem because i bet you will be the first to moan... you soppy cow!

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anotherEBresident says...
10:50pm Wed 23 Dec 09

Well I don't think it's me doing the stirring, Ebenezer...As for the man @ St Mary's - is he still there? I spoke to a nice PC this afternoon (whose job was to stop me getting in my road :-( ) & in our chat that lovely man came up - PC seemed to reckon he'd been sacked.....
It's a really hard situation - people are I know trying very hard to get us connected again, but we are still at their mercy and not knowing what's going on or when it's likely to end is really hard. Not to mention the cold etc that so many are suffering. I do almost agree with Ebenezer that maybe they should postpone things so at least the workers get a decent Xmas, but at the same time it's quite an unbearable thought!

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walsh3017 says...
11:20pm Wed 23 Dec 09

He isnt a policeman at St marys but a national grid pillock. He was just very rude and really unsupportive; in fact didnt seem bothered just more concerned about making sure he earned his money.

Ebernezer is just an idiot!

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KP270 says...
11:42pm Wed 23 Dec 09

I think the moron at St Mary's and Ebeneezer are one and the same myself! Couldn't give a d**n about anyone and just spouts out rubbish!!

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OneHeatWonder says...
8:22am Thu 24 Dec 09

Apparently if things get any worse there is a rumour that Prince William will be coming out to spend the night with us.

I know it's a sh*tty situation but a big Happy Christmas to all fellow residents of East Barnet ... its always been one of the friendliest areas of London. Take care, keep warm if you can ... and try to keep smiling. We'll get through it.

Off to clear a pavement now - as it doesn't look like our council can be bothered :-)

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anotherEBresident says...
9:06am Thu 24 Dec 09

Lol re Prince William! Perhaps his grandma would like to do her speech from st Mary's? (Btw I know the foreman there wasn't a PC - I said it was a (community) PC who'd told me he thought he'd been sacked.... ) Last I heard from a neighbour was that elecricity was back on last night. I shall of course double check it still is but hopefully things are slowly improving.

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Ebenezer says...
10:25am Thu 24 Dec 09

walsh3017 wrote:
Has anyone met that guy at St marys school.!! What a rude ignorant (i want to use foul language) ****. We were told to get our heater and hot plate... He questioned me and all i got was a heater as they had no hot plates left. He should be sacked what a prat!
I havent been down there myself. I have my own heater and I'm just getting by. Cant be helped..what can you do?? Thankfully i shall be going to visit family soon so i shall be able to escape. Hopefully they will have turned me back on by the time i return. Best wishes to all..its not my intention to wind anyone up. We are all being inconvenienced but as i say...what can you do but get by and hope for the best ???

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Ebenezer says...
12:22pm Thu 24 Dec 09

Found this...
http://www.nationalg
rid.com/uk/Media+Cen
tre/PressReleases/

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OneHeatWonder says...
12:45pm Thu 24 Dec 09

Thanks Ebenezer ... fingers crossed,eh?

No news on Prince William yet - but I did just find Bear Grylls filming the next series of Born Survivor in my living room. He's made a right mess of the sofa and, strangely, the next door's cat has gone missing ...

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anotherEBresident says...
12:55pm Fri 25 Dec 09

I am a hopefully being reconnected as I type ... and commented to the very nice engineer that I hope he's being paid overtime - the big smile on his face as he said "oh, we're being well paid" has reassured me that he is certainly getting more than his basic monthly salary. Not sure if they've changed the rules for Christmas Day, or if the worker Ebenezer spoke to was having an extra moan / working under alternative conditions. And I must say those who currently seem to be working hard deserve every penny extra they get! (Funny how since we've been offered Christmas Dady extra compensation things seem to be moving faster ... I assume only those without gas the entire day & night will get the extra?!)
Merry Christmas to all and hope you're warm soon (and hope we are!)

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anotherEBresident says...
1:13pm Fri 25 Dec 09

Update re pay - it seems that the local workers ARE on basic pay - which would probably explain why the ones who came earlier in the week were adamant they'd not be working today. But the scousers we have in at the moment are from what they've told me getting a very nice amount to make up for their lack of Christmas.... I think their familes will be more than happy with their extra pressies! Not fair though, is it?

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Ebenezer says...
4:43pm Fri 25 Dec 09

See here for contingency plan...
http://www.nationalg
rid.com/uk/Media+Cen
tre/PressReleases/20
09/Caddington251209S
t10.htm

For the residents without gas or electricity today, Caddington Parish and Central Bedfordshire Council have arranged for a Christmas dinner to be served at Caddington Village School.

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