Municipality asks Wheatley residents to 'not spread gossip on social media'
Chatham Kent municipal officials say they are working hard to keep residents informed after a major explosion last month and ask residents to ‘not spread gossip on social media’.
Employees and members of Chatham-Kent emergency Services went door to door in portions of Wheatley during the weekend providing information on emergency preparedness and answering questions concerning the Aug. 26 explosion in the town's downtown core.
Officials spoke with nearly 300 individuals and left notification for more than 250 others within one-kilometer diameter of the explosion at 15 Erie Street North.
Municipal officials say they are concerned regarding unfounded rumours being circulated on social media regarding the situation.
"We are asking that residents contact the municipality if they have questions or concerns and not spread gossip on social media channels," said Chatham-Kent Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire.
"If there is something to report, we will provide information to legitimate media outlets and use official municipal social media channels including the subscription list. We are committed to getting accurate Information to citizens in as timely a manner as possible. Rumors and uninformed and misguided theories simply upset residents."
WHAT’S THAT SMELL?
A number of residents on the weekend reported noticing a smell. In each case, emergency personnel responded with detection equipment and no gas was detected. Possible causes of the smells included agriculture related activities, smell produced by lake inversion now underway or an odour from offshore gas wells.
EMERGENCY PLAN
Chatham-Kent officials say an important part of the message was to inform residents to have a family emergency plan and emergency kit prepared.
Fire Chief Chris Case said work on finding and managing the source of the gas emission is ongoing.
"We can't say for sure that further evacuations won't be necessary,” says Case. “Community safety remains our priority so please be prepared."
COMMUNITY AID EFFORTS
Local community aid efforts are being coordinated through the Active Citizens of Wheatley, the Wheatley Business Improvement Area and the Wheatley Food Bank. Information about those efforts can be found at the active citizens Facebook group.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff attended a community fund raising fish fry Sunday and said he was moved by the spirit and attitude of Wheatley citizens.
"Wheatley strong isn't just a tag line; the citizens are determined to get their community back. I've spoken to people right across the municipality and everyone in Chatham-Kent is behind Wheatley," he says.
EXPLOSION INVESTIGATION
A technical advisory group including municipal emergency, building, engineering and utilities along with the Ontario Fire Marshall's Office and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry is examining how best to determine the source of the leak.
Private sector officials are providing technical advice to the TAG group as well.
RESOURCE CENTRE
The municipal resource centre at the Wheatley arena remains open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Currently 12 families continue to live in temporary accommodations provided through the centre. Evacuees should call 519-351-8573 during office hours and ask to speak to a Wheatley Crisis Case Manager. After office hours they can call 519-354-6628 and they will be assisted with access to an on-call supervisor.
Residents who need information after hours can call 519-350-2956.
SUBSCRIPTION EMAIL LIST
Several hundred residents have joined a subscription email list to provide them with updated information regarding relocation of financial, medical and postal services as well as community-based relief efforts.
Wheatley residents can join the list by filling in a form on the municipality's website here or by calling 3-1-1 or emailing ck311@chatham-kent.ca with contact information (name, phone number, address, email address).
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.