19 people were taken to a rest centre after 300 residents were from their homes during the middle of the night in Croydon after a gas main was ruptured during a car crash in Croydon.

Police and London Fire Brigade rushed to Mitcham Road in the early hours of Sunday morning (September 29).

A car had crashed into roadworks, rupturing a six-inch gas main which led to 300 people were evacuated from nearby homes.

The Brigade was first called at 1.17am and a 100-metre cordon was set up.

London Fire Brigade and Croydon Council claim that residents were taken to a nearby rest centre for safety – but Croydon Council's response to the emergency has been criticised by a local resident.

A statement from the council revealed that only 19 people used the rest centre provided despite more than 300 being evacuated.

Local resident Carolyn Lipczynski said that while they were initially told about the rest centre, many residents, including her family, spent hours in the freezing cold at a nearby cemetery, waiting for help that never came.

She explained that her six-year-old daughter and dog were with her, and despite promises from the police that buses and a community centre would be made available, nothing materialised.

Carolyn claimed that she and others sat on the ground for hours with no option but to wait in the cold until around 7am when she was able to return home.

Croydon Council later reported that they had provided transport to and from the rest centre and offered food and shelter to those affected.

However, only 19 people used the facility.

Carolyn, who was not aware of this support, was left angry and frustrated.

She said that many people, including families with small children, could not afford to pay for hotels and had no other options.

A 59-year-old man was later charged with drink driving and for driving without due care and attention.

He will appear at Croydon Magistrates Court on Monday, October 14.

A total of 22 firefighters from Croydon, Lewisham, and Euston stations attended the scene. Motorists were advised to avoid the area while the road closures were in place.

The road remained closed until Sunday lunchtime, causing disruption in the area.

SGN has announced that repair work had since been completed alongside safety checks.

Dan Brown, a spokesperson for SGN, said: “We responded to a gas leak in Mitcham Road after our medium pressure main was damaged.

“Our engineers have been working to upgrade our gas network at this location. The vehicle drove into this work area and collided with our pipe.

“The affected pipe was cut and repaired on Sunday morning, before safety checks were carried out in the vicinity.

“The network upgrade project has resumed as normal.”

A spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “We worked closely with our partners at the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade following a road traffic incident and gas leak in Mitcham Road, as they cordoned off part of the road and made the area safe.”

“The council responded to the emergency and set up a rest centre for those affected.

“About 19 people made use of the rest centre and were provided with food and shelter until they could safely return to their homes.

“We provided transport to and from the rest centre and supported vulnerable residents with their individual needs.”