A primary school and a number of houses have been evacuated in Drogheda, Co Louth, after a gas pipe ruptured this morning.
The gas leak happened at the construction site of the multi-million euro Scotch Hall shopping centre on the town's Marsh Road.
A spokeswoman for Bord Gáis said: "This morning at about 11am an incident occurred where one of our pipes was ruptured by a third party." She said the leak would be contained by about 12.30pm.
As a precaution St Mary's National School and a number of houses were evacuated.
The town's Dublin Road and Marsh Road were also closed, and motorists have been told to avoid the town.
