A month and a half after a devastating gas explosion in downtown Wheatley, monitors detected the gas again early Friday morning.
Chatham-Kent officials said the gas monitors went off about 4 a.m. at 15 Erie St. N., sounding the alarm to the presence of hydrogen sulphide gas.
It’s the same place as the Aug. 26 explosion, where two other gas detection events occurred in June and July. And it’s the same gas.
Members of Chatham-Kent Fire Services, the provincial hazmat team, and Golder were at the scene and sent samples of the gas to lab facilities in Windsor for a full analysis, according to municipal officials.
Gas was still being detected at the site as of late Friday morning.
In addition, the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office, Golder, provincial Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks, and Chatham-Kent technical staff were also on scene.
Officials with gas detection equipment are continuing to monitor the perimeter of the evacuation zone. There has been no gas detected around the perimeter.
Officials said the situation did not warrant any change in the evacuation area put in place in August, however, ongoing monitoring is taking place. The public will be notified should the situation change.
Anyone who smells gas should call 9-1-1.
