Cadent engineers are on the scene as Southend Road in Billericay is closed by fire crews after a gas leak. Nearby homes have been evacuated and residents are urged to avoid the area until the "gas escape" has been brought under control. A spokesman for Cadent said they were called to reports of a damaged gas pipe at 2.43pm this afternoon. "Soon afterwards our emergency engineers were on site and were able to confirm a gas pipe had been damaged by contractors on a development site," they added. “We would advise people to avoid this area until the gas escape has been brought under control later this evening.”