A “frightening” gas incident in Cardigan that led to a major emergency alert was still under investigation yesterday as environmental health chiefs considered legal action.

Concern arose at around 11pm on Wednesday when a member of staff at the Angel Hotel in St. Mary Street smelt gas.

As the smell grew stronger on the ground floor of the hotel, which was fully booked, owner Wells Jones was informed and his investigations led to the next-door Seyran’s Pizza kebab shop.

Taking up the story Mr. Jones said: “Once I was sure the leak was at the kebab shop I informed the people there but they adopted a blasé approach and just carried on serving food as if nothing had happened.

“I had no option but to alert the emergency services who took away 17 LPG gas cylinders from the attic.

“Quite frankly I was absolutely horrified to learn that liquid propane gas cylinders were being stored in an attic. This was a quite frightening incident,” he said.

Local fire-fighters were joined by colleagues from Crymych and also police who informed the environmental health department of Ceredigion County Council.

Seyran’s Pizza was closed down, a large number of gas cylinders removed from the premises and firemen were at the scene until 2.30am.

One of the emergency personnel said that LPG cylinders should be upright and kept outside locked in a cage.

“We could have had a disaster here tonight,” he said.

A police spokeswoman said “The level of gas was not considered serious enough to evacuate the hotel or nearby homes, and the matter is now in the hands of the environmental health department.”

Confirming that an investigation into the incident was ongoing a spokesman for the county council said “An officer of the Department of Environmental Services and Housing was called out at 1am on Thursday.

“We are investigating the incident and considering action under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“This being the case we cannot comment further other than to confirm that in coordination with the emergency services and utilities the council ensured that the site was made safe,” he said.

Attempts to obtain a comment from the management at Seyran’s Pizza were unsuccessful.

On Friday the kebab shop proprietor is due to appear before magistrates in the town and appeal against a reduction of late night opening hours at weekends.