Burglars who caused a major gas leak when they cut pipework and ripped out a boiler after breaking into an empty flat in Bradford have been condemned for putting lives at risk.

Ten homes had to be evacuated early yesterday and about 70 properties around Kenton Way in Holme Wood had their electricity supply cut off in fear of an explosion being triggered.

Watch commander Rodger Binns at Bradford fire station said the emergency services had to work quickly and quietly to avoid a major incident.

There were concerns if they woke people before the power was shut down, lights being switched on could have sparked an explosion.

Mr Binns said: “The moment the pipe was cut, lives were at risk – not just the lives of those committing the crime but also the innocent lives of people nearby.

“The whole thing could have gone bang and lives could have been lost.”

At its peak there were about eight utility workers, ten firefighters, a hazardous materials officer, ten police officers and an ambulance crew on standby.

Mr Binns said: “That’'s using up a lot of resources for one irresponsible act. We had to be as quiet and as quick as possible not to wake people up so they would not put their lights on before we got the power off.”

Firefighters had to break windows in the burgled ground-floor flat to let gas out and wait 20 minutes before crew wearing breathing apparatus could go in and make it safe enough for the gas to be capped off.

Joyce Watson, aged 85 and one of those who had to be evacuated, said: “I’ve got no sense of smell so I couldn’t get an early warning.

“It scared me to death when there was this big thump on my window and it was the police telling me to get ready to get out because there was gas leaking from next door.

“I think whoever broke in did it during the daylight because someone mentioned seeing some youth carrying something out of the flat earlier in the day and it was all covered up. They just don’t care what they do or who it affects.”

Northern Gas Networks customer operations manager, Ian Cunningham, said: “This theft was not only foolish but potentially extremely dangerous. Their actions were totally reckless and also very unusual, as most people are aware of just how dangerous it is to wilfully damage a gas boiler and pipework.

“Fortunately this incident was brought under control quickly and safely by the emergency services, Yorkshire Electricity Distribution and our engineers but it could easily have had a different, far more tragic ending.

“Tampering with gas pipes can be fatal.”

And ward Councillor Alan Wainwright (Lab, Tong) said: “Everyone on the estate needs to try to work together to expose the people who are doing this.

“It’s appalling and despicable. I can’t speak highly enough of the emergency services, they stopped it from becoming a disaster area. Someone, somewhere knows who is taking these boilers and I’d appeal for them to tell the police – they could save lives.”

Residents in the area told yesterday that they were worried boiler thefts were happening too often, leaving them in danger, but a spokesman for social housing group Incommunities, which owns the flat, denied thefts of boilers from its empty properties were regular occurrences.

“Where we know a property is vacant and there is a need to protect it, we will secure it with metal screens and remote alarms if required,” said the spokesman.

But Sheila Garfield, who is disabled and lives in Kenton Way, said: “There’s another house next to me going to be empty soon and I’m worried the same thing could happen there.”

Paul Gill, 33, who also lives nearby said: “I think people look out for empty properties. It’s happening too much round here. The people who do it just don’t care about anyone else, they just want the metal for money”

A police spokesman said an investigation into the incident was continuing last night.