Update #2 (3:35 p.m.): Residents and businesses in the city’s north end have been given the green light to return to their properties after being evacuated earlier today following a morning gas-line break at a nearby construction site.
“About 2:05 p.m., Enbridge was able to get the gas shut down and in a safe state and everyone was able to attend their properties," said Deputy Fire Chief Carrie Clark.
The gas main was within a road construction site at the intersection of Duckworth and Wellington streets shortly before 9 a.m.
Due to the size of the line, police evacuated residents and businesses within a 100-metre radius of the gas-main break, which, if ignited, could have caused significant damage.
“She was a four-inch gas line. It has to have the right ratio of air to gas. When it’s coming out that quickly, it’s pretty condensed, so as long as there are no ignition sources in the immediate area … hence the evacuation,” said Clark.
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Update #1 (10:25 a.m.): Fire officials say Enbridge staff are now on scene, but due to the size of the gas main it will probably be around noon before they get it shut down completely. In the meantime, the evacuation order will stay in place.
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Barrie Fire has evacuated a section of the city in the north end after a gas-line break this morning at a construction site.
At 8:49 a.m. on Tuesday, a gas main was struck within the road construction site at the intersection of Duckworth and Wellington streets.
“It’s a four-inch gas line, so it's a lot of gas," Deputy Fire Chief Carrie Clark told BarrieToday.
Police have evacuated residents and businesses within a 100-metre radius of the gas-main break.
“As soon as Enbridge shuts that down, we will be back to normal operations,” Clark said. “We are just following our standard protocols for gas mains so everything is in a safe state. We’re just waiting for Enbridge to shut it down.”
BarrieToday will publish more information as it becomes available.
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