Watch out for the lead gasssssssss pipe!

I was working in an old Victorian House, drilling very gingerly through the wall into a cupboard the other side, and being very aware of a live lead gas pipe on the other side too. I knew that I was nearly through the wall, and having felt the drill (what I thought anyway...) go back into the lathe and plaster wall and out again, I stopped drilling.

I couldnt understand what the gushing noise was - yep! I hit the gas pipe!

P A N I C

Where's the stop tap? Customer didn't know. On the verge of calling the Fire Service and evacuating when I found it hidden in the bottom of the same cupboard.

It sounded like gushing water, but smelt very much like gas!

It was my lucky day after all - the gas board were coming to replace the lead gas pipe the very next day in any case!!! So I just turned off the gas at the stop tap.

A word of warning though - do not trust any measurements you make in old houses - walls do not line up nor do things run level or perpendicular!