A health and Safety Executive investigation got under way today into the cause of the York gas blast which saw hundreds of residents evacuated from their homes.

Around 170 remaining properties were having their gas supplies reconnected and a Transco spokesman gave an assurance that the gas supply was working "perfectly safely".

The supply to 1,200 properties was cut after the huge blaze in Rawcliffe Lane on Thursday night. Three hundred homes were evacuated while firefighters worked to bring the 40ft fire under control.

John O'Grady, spokesman for Transco, said the Health and Safety Executive was working with Transco and other gas industry experts to try and find out what had happened.

Engineers had cut out part of the yellow plastic polyethylene pipe which had caused the problem. It was a T-shaped jointed section of pipe, measuring four foot by two foot, and was 12 years old, he said.

Coun Mark Waudby, a Rawcliffe ward councillor, said he and fellow councillors Coun Irene Waudby and Coun Simon Tarry wanted reassurances on the state of the old gas pipes in Rawcliffe and Clifton Without.

"We are very concerned that residents say they have been smelling gas but when they are checked nothing is found. This problem seems to have been going on for a number of years."

And Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh said: "I intend to contact the gas pipeline company Transco to find out what caused this leak and the fire that followed.

"I also want assurances that measures are being taken to prevent any future event of this kind."

Mr O'Grady said that over the last 18 months there had been two reports of a smell of gas - one was traced to a faulty heater in Clifton Library and the other to a different section of pipe.

"Everything is working perfectly safely and normally today. There is no reason for anyone to have any concerns that the gas equipment is less than safe in Rawcliffe Lane."

He said there were around 127 non-domestic properties and around 45 homes which were due to be reconnected today. Engineers had not been able to gain access to them over the weekend as they were unoccupied.

Mr O'Grady said that engineers from the company worked from 7am to 7.30pm over the weekend and that a mobile incident room at Clifton Library was also open.

Meanwhile, Mr O'Grady confirmed that a senior manager with Transco lives near the scene of the blast, but would not reveal the exact location of his house.

He said: "We do have a lot of employees who live in the area, one happens to be a senior manager."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.