Officials sign order to terminate emergency in Wheatley
An official signing of the order to terminate the emergency in Wheatley took place in Chatham-Kent Thursday afternoon.
The signing happened in the council chambers at the Chatham Civic Centre, signed by Mayor Darrin Canniff.
Canniff was joined by Chief of Fire and Rescue Services Chris Case, Councillor Lauren Anderson, and Director of Public Works Ryan Brown.
“This is a major step in the revitalization of Wheatley; this is where the rubber meets the road in planning for Wheatley’s future,” said Canniff.
“The people of Wheatley have been nothing short of incredible in the face of the adversity that this emergency has called. I would like to thank the province, who has been very supportive of our needs. Without their funding and support, we would not be in the great place that we are today.”
Canniff expressed his optimism about Wheatley’s future.
Celebration in Wheatley, Ont. as the emergency is officially terminated on Oct. 31, 2024. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)
Officials said due to what they found during the latest investigation into gas presence in the town.
On July 19, 2021, an emergency was declared in Wheatley following the detection of Hydrogen Sulfide gas. The following month, on Aug. 26, an explosion occurred at 15 Erie Street North and expanded the emergency evacuation zone. Three years later, following site demolition, a successful investigation, and the plugging of an uncovered well, municipal officials are officially ending the emergency order.
Earlier this year, council approved the acquisition of buildings affected by the explosion, beginning the demolition process. The investigation started after 15 buildings were knocked down.
An abandoned petroleum well was found at 17 Talbot Street East and was plugged. No gas signatures have been detected since, leading officials to believe the problem was solved.
Ongoing testing will continue to confirm gas is no longer present in Wheatley’s downtown.
A construction site in Wheatley, as seen on September 3, 2024 (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)
“The joint teams of the municipality and its partners have worked tirelessly to discover the source of the risk and to protect and remediate the impacts to the community," said Chief of Fire and Rescue Services Chris Case.
“Over the past 41 months, we have been nothing but humbled by the resilience of the community, their proactive approach and their support for one another and those engaged in operations.”
Downtown Wheatley, Ont. seen on Oct. 31, 2024. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)
Case continued, expressing his appreciation and gratitude to the firefighters who have “maintained a vigilant and compassionate watch for the community as these works have progressed.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Auto theft probe leads to arrest of 59 suspects, recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles: Toronto police
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Ont. woman posed as registered nurse in Simcoe County for 4 years: OPP
An Ontario woman is facing serious charges after police allege she pretended to be a registered nurse at several Simcoe County facilities, despite being unqualified.
B.C. mayor's 'luxury' trip to Dubai climate conference was against ethics rules: commissioner
New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone's all-expenses-paid trip to Dubai for a climate conference last December violated the city's Code of Conduct for Council Members and the Community Charter, the city's ethics commissioner has ruled.
WATCH 'It's mind-boggling': Drought reveals U.S. town submerged in the 1940s
Hundreds of people are flocking to see a rare site in Pennsylvania: remnants of a historic town that is usually underwater.
Democrats Abroad Canada warns U.S. voters to take action ahead of possible Canada Post strike
Democrats Abroad Canada is warning Americans that a potential postal workers strike this weekend could affect the ability to vote in next week's election.
Caught on camera: Edmonton police run over woman during welfare call
An Edmonton Police Service officer was caught on camera running over a woman with a marked cruiser last month.
Orphaned squirrel who became social media star was euthanized after being seized from New York home
An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanized after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker's home, authorities said Friday.
B.C. landlord who evicted longtime tenant, hiked rent and re-listed unit ordered to pay $16K
A landlord from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who evicted a longtime tenant only to rent out the same unit months later for more money has been ordered to compensate him $16,480.
Secret Service report offers new details on failures during Trump assassination attempt
A new Secret Service report into the July assassination attempt against former U.S. president Donald Trump said multiple staffers knew about clear line-of-sight risks but found them 'acceptable' and that farm equipment intended to obstruct the view from the nearby building where the gunman opened fire was never used.