The debris from last month’s explosion in Wheatley is expected to be removed by the end of the week, according to municipal officials.
Furthermore, there has been no detection of hydrogen sulphide gas, the toxic, flammable gas that likely caused the Aug. 26 explosion and was responsible for two previous evacuations of the downtown core this summer.
Officials said once the debris is clear, they believe it will be much easier to find the source of the gas emission suspected to be the cause the incident.
Debris from the site of the explosion is being bagged and taken to a landfill facility for proper disposal of any hazardous material such as asbestos.
Chatham-Kent CAO Don Shropshire said posts on social media this week claiming that a decision has been made to demolish a number of buildings in the area are false.
“The structural integrity of buildings in the vicinity of the blast has not been determined as of yet,” he said in a media release. “Municipal officials will take the appropriate action regarding structures when it is safe to do so.”
RBC is setting up a temporary bank in the parking lot of the Wheatley Arena. The RBC branch in downtown Wheatley remains closed.
