Reviewed guide
What Is the First Safe Step When a Pipe Starts Leaking?
Follow a safe first-five-minutes response to a pipe leak: protect people, screen electrical and structural hazards, isolate water, document, and call help.
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First Response
Make the first minutes safer without entering a hazard area.
Safety boundary
Recognition, evacuation, safe shutoff only when accessible, loss control, documentation, and referral. For immediate danger, leave the area and contact emergency services or the appropriate utility. Do not approach energized, contaminated, unstable, or otherwise hazardous areas.