A gas leak from an LPG cylinder is dangerous, but a few calm steps in the first minute keep everyone safe. This guide is for Lahore homes and kitchens that cook with LPG. It covers what to do, how to check for a leak, who to call and how to prevent leaks.
Every step follows recognised LPG safety guidance, listed at the end.
Smell gas right now?
- Put out any flame or cigarette, and don’t light anything.
- Leave switches, plugs and fans alone. Use your phone only once you are outside.
- If you can reach it safely, turn the regulator off or close the cylinder valve.
- Open doors and windows wide, right down to floor level: LPG sinks.
- Strong smell, hissing or fire? Get everyone out, then call Rescue 1122 from outside and say there is LPG.
- Then call Gas Link, day or night: +92 300 6140981.
What to do if you smell a gas leak
If you smell a gas leak at home, stop anything that could spark, shut off the gas at the cylinder and let in fresh air. In case of a leak, here is what to do and why.
- No flames or smoking. Leaked gas mixes with air, and one flame can set it alight.
- Don’t touch switches. Turning a light, plug or extractor fan on or off can make a spark.
- Turn off the gas. Switch off the stove, then turn the regulator off or close the cylinder valve, if you can do it safely.
- Air the room from the floor up. LPG is heavier than air and settles low, so open doors as well as windows.
- Call for help. Ring your LPG supplier so they can make the cylinder and fittings safe.
Sources: Liquid Gas UK’s safety advice and Calor’s gas emergency guidance.
If the smell is strong, or you hear hissing
Get everyone out first. From a safe place, call Rescue 1122, Punjab’s emergency service, and say there is LPG inside. Don’t go back in for anything.
Then call Gas Link, 24/7, to find and fix the leak.
Moving a leaking cylinder outside
Only if it is safe, carry the cylinder upright to an open, airy spot, away from drains and doorways where gas could collect. If the smell is strong, leave it and get out.
Before you turn the gas back on
Keep the gas off until the leak has been found, fixed and the fittings declared safe. If the smell comes back, or never quite goes, the gas stays off. Don’t relight the stove to test it.
How to check for a gas leak: the soapy-water test
Check for a gas leak with soapy water, never a flame: bubbles show exactly where gas is escaping. It is the same test our technicians use on every joint.
Here is how to detect a gas leak in your home, or check if a gas cylinder is leaking. You need: washing-up liquid, a cup of water and a small brush or sponge.
- Turn the stove off, then switch the regulator on so the hose holds gas.
- Mix a little washing-up liquid into the water.
- Brush it over the cylinder valve, the regulator, both hose ends and the stove joint.
- If bubbles form at a joint, gas is escaping there.
- Found bubbles? Switch the regulator off, shut the cylinder valve too if yours has one, and get the part checked before using it.
Never use a match, lighter or flame to look for a leak. Liquid Gas UK’s guidance on cylinder connections uses the same soap-solution test.
Rather not test it yourself? Book an LPG safety check and regulator replacement.
Signs of a gas leak: smell, sound and how you feel
A strong odour is added to LPG on purpose, so your nose is the first way to know there is a leak. Other signs and gas leak symptoms to act on:
- Smell: a gas leak smell in the house or near the cylinder that doesn’t fade.
- Sound: a hiss from the cylinder, regulator or hose. A loud hiss means get out first.
- How you feel: headaches, dizziness or nausea while an appliance is on. Turn it off, close the gas at the cylinder and get fresh air.
- Low spaces: leaked LPG builds up near the floor, a fire, explosion and suffocation risk (UK Health and Safety Executive).
Gas leak or carbon monoxide?
A gas leak and carbon monoxide are different dangers: LPG has an added smell, carbon monoxide has none.
| Check | LPG leak | Carbon monoxide |
|---|---|---|
| Smell | Strong, added on purpose | None |
| Comes from | A leaking joint, hose or valve | Poor burning in a cooker or heater |
| Warning signs | Smell, hissing | Headaches, dizziness, yellow or orange flames, soot |
| First step | Gas off, air the room, leave if strong | Appliance off, fresh air, medical help |
A carbon monoxide alarm warns you about carbon monoxide, not leaking LPG. See the NHS and HSE pages on carbon monoxide.
Where LPG leaks start, and who should fix them
LPG leaks start where parts join: the cylinder valve, the regulator, the hose and the stove connections.
- Cylinder valve and O-ring: a gas cylinder valve leak can start at a torn or missing rubber ring inside the valve. Look at it each time you change a cylinder, and never take a valve apart.
- Regulator: never open or adjust it. Replace it if it is worn, leaking or damaged, or past its maker’s date.
- Hose and clips: replace a hose that is cracked, stiff, soft in places or blistered, and make sure clips hold both ends.
- Stove knobs and inlet: gas smell with the knobs off? Close the cylinder and have the stove checked.
- Kitchen pipes: a leaking pipe or pipe joint needs someone trained in gas fitting.
Gas leak repair is a job for your LPG supplier or a trained gas fitter, not just any plumber. Our technicians replace a faulty part on the spot with regulator and hose replacement, and fix leaking lines with kitchen gas pipe fitting.
Parts are charged, and the visit price is confirmed when you call. Bulk LPG tank? Call your gas supplier too.
Gas leak numbers in Lahore: who to call
In Lahore, call Rescue 1122 for a fire or a strong smell, and your LPG supplier to make the cylinder safe. Save each gas leak number below in your phone, and always call from outside.
| Situation | Who to call | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, strong smell or someone unwell | Rescue 1122 | 1122 |
| LPG cylinder, regulator, hose or pipe | Gas Link (24/7) | +92 300 6140981 |
| Sui gas pipe or meter | SNGPL helpline | 1199 |
Rescue 1122 handles emergencies; the other two make the gas safe.
Gas leak detectors and alarms
A gas leak detector, also sold as an LPG leakage detector, gas leak tester or gas alarm, sounds when it senses gas in the air. It helps at night or when the kitchen is empty, but it only warns: it doesn’t fix the leak.
- Keep testing joints: an alarm doesn’t replace the soapy-water test or regular checks.
- Fit it as the maker says: follow its fitting and testing instructions, and remember that LPG settles low.
- A CO alarm is different: carbon monoxide alarms, which Liquid Gas UK recommends for every home, warn of carbon monoxide, not leaking LPG.
Detection devices range from plug-in alarms to portable electronic testers, often labelled combustible gas detectors. Gas Link sells plug-in LPG gas leak alarms and fits them on request. Prices in Pakistan vary by model; ours are on request: ask at our LPG shop on Main College Road or call +92 300 6140981.
How to prevent a gas leak: simple checks
Regular checks of the hose, regulator and cylinder help you catch wear before it leaks. Make these gas leak precautions part of your routine:
- Hose: look for cracks, stiffness, soft spots or blisters, and consider a new hose after 5 years.
- Regulator: find the date marked on it. Replace it by the date its maker gives, or within 10 years if you can’t find one.
- O-ring: check the rubber ring in the valve every time you change a cylinder.
- Switch off: switch the regulator off overnight and whenever you leave home.
- Placement: keep cylinders upright, in an airy spot and away from heat, and never in a basement.
- Servicing: have indoor gas appliances serviced every year.
- Cylinders: use sealed, weight-checked LPG cylinders.
Hose and regulator advice: Liquid Gas UK’s guidance on cylinders and regulators.
Gas safety for restaurants and businesses
A restaurant kitchen needs the same first steps, plus a plan for several cylinders and many people.
- Shut the main valve if several cylinders feed one line.
- Leave extractor fans as they are: don’t switch them on or off.
- Agree in advance who leads staff and customers out calmly.
- Get the whole gas installation inspected every year, as WorkSafe New Zealand advises for businesses.
Gas Link arranges regular gas checks for restaurants and hotels, and for offices too.
Sui gas (natural gas) leaks
A leak from a Sui gas pipe or meter needs the same first steps, then a call to SNGPL, the Sui gas company. Put out flames, leave switches alone, open doors and windows, and get out if the smell is strong.
Report the leak to SNGPL on 1199 or through its online complaint form. Gas Link works on LPG cylinders and LPG lines, not Sui gas house lines.
Gas leak questions
What does a gas leak smell like?
LPG has a strong smell added on purpose, so even a small leak can be noticed. If the smell doesn’t go away, close the cylinder valve and keep the gas off until the cause is fixed.
Is a small or slow gas leak dangerous?
Yes. A small escape of LPG can mix with air into a large amount of gas that could catch fire or explode. Treat any smell as a leak until it is checked.
Can I use my phone if I smell gas?
Not in the room with the smell. Phones, switches and plugs can make a spark. Go outside first, then call.
Can a gas leak make you feel ill?
Yes: leaked LPG can make breathing hard in a closed or low space. Headaches or dizziness with a cooker or heater on can mean carbon monoxide. Turn it off, get fresh air and get medical help or call Rescue 1122.
Does a gas alarm replace the soapy-water test?
No. An alarm warns you that there is gas in the air; the soapy-water test shows which joint is leaking. Use both.
Will Gas Link come out at night for a gas leak?
Yes, 24/7, anywhere in Lahore. Once everyone is safe outside, and Rescue 1122 has been called if the smell is strong, we come to find and fix the leak.
Need help with a gas leak in Lahore?
Act on the smell first: no flames, no switches, gas off and fresh air in. Then find and fix the leak before you use gas again.
Call +92 300 6140981 or WhatsApp us, day or night, or visit or call Gas Link at our shop on Main College Road.
These steps follow recognised LPG safety guidance from Liquid Gas UK, the UK Health and Safety Executive, the NHS, Calor Gas and WorkSafe New Zealand. Local numbers come from Rescue 1122 and SNGPL. This is general safety advice, not Pakistani law, checked 4 November 2026.