Hastings and St. Leonards Gas Company

Incidents

In 1880, whilst the Alexandra Hotel was having some alterations made to the drainage, a steamroller was stopped directly above the point at which the hotel's gas pipe was buried in the road. This led to the pipe being crushed and a gas-escape occurred which entered the hotel. Fortunately a passing policeman smelled the gas and upon investigation, the leak was found and the affected areas of the hotel ventilated prior to any explosion occurring