Hawick gas leak ‘did not cause pensioner’s death’

A GAS LEAK has been ruled out as the cause of death for a 79-year-old woman.

The house in Hawick's Fairhurt Drive, where Dorothy Matear lived. Picture: Hemedia

Dorothy Matear was found dead in her home in Fairhurst Drive, Hawick, Roxburghshire, on Wednesday lunchtime.

A strong-smell of gas fumes resulted in paramedics alerting the other emergency services as engineers from Scotia Gas Networks who cut off the supply.

Nine neighbouring homes were evacuated as checks took place on the system but no leak was found and the householders were allowed back into their properties around 7pm - six hours after the alarm was raised.

An investigastion into the pensioner’s death is still ongoing but one theory is that she collapsed from a medical condition while cooking in her kitchen and the gas fumes spread.

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said:”The exact cause of death is still under investigation.

“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”