Ten more people were allowed temporary access to properties on the weekend in the downtown Wheatley rocked by a gas explosion in late August, while work continues to connect the second of two wells to monitoring equipment.
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Ten more people were allowed temporary access to their properties this weekend while work continued to connect the second of two wells to monitoring equipment in the cordoned-off area of downtown Wheatley where a mid-August blast leveled two buildings.
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The second well – dubbed APEC 2 for “areas of potential concern” – was brought to the surface last week. Workers on site are now connecting the well to the test separator and installing monitoring equipment, as was done with the first well, APEC 1, stated a Monday media release.
The test separator and venting system connected to the first well remain in place, which functions to improve the overall safety of the site, the release added.
Residents and property owners seeking temporary access to check on their properties are required to register with the municipality for scheduling purposes and to allow emergency personnel to determine if the property is safe to enter.
To date, 69 appointments have been completed while 21 appointments are ready to be booked for the evacuated properties. Properties in the immediate vicinity of the Aug. 26 blast, however, are still off limits, stated the release.
Officials are still prohibiting access to those sites due to lingering safety concerns.
Access will resume this week when any gaps in the work occur, the release added.
The first detection of gas at an Erie Street North site in early June prompted the immediate evacuation of homes and businesses in the area. The following month, three-dozen homes and businesses were evacuated after hydrogen sulphide – a highly poisonous, corrosive and flammable gas – was again detected at the downtown site.
On Aug. 26, toxic gas detectors raised the alarm that afternoon, giving municipal staff and emergency crews enough time to evacuate the area before a blast destroyed two buildings about 90 minutes later. Twenty people suffered minor injuries from the explosion.
Since the August blast, gas has been detected about a half-dozen times in the cordoned-off area.