Repairs underway after car strikes gas meter, prompting 'scary' evacuation of Leamington apple orchard
People who were visiting an apple orchard in Leamington say they are "shaken up" after an apparent gas leak forced a sudden evacuation of the area.
Rosie Sarno said she, along with her son and husband, visited Thiessen Apple Orchard around 4:30 p.m. Saturday when she heard employees start to yell, instructing everyone to "run" and "get out."
"We had just ordered food and sat down to eat in the barn part of the orchard," said Sarno. "It took me a second to realize what was going on."
"We just ran, got in our car and then drove home. We grabbed some food because the kids were hungry. They didn't get a chance to eat. We're all shaken up. It's a scary feeling. But we're safe. Everybody's safe."
Sarno's friend Valentina Colella also visited the orchard Saturday with her son.
"Everyone was just in a huge panic ... They weren't telling people why to run which instilled even more fear because you hear such scary things going on with society now," said Colella, adding the smell resembled rotten eggs and consumed the air within seconds.
"The smell was just, almost instantly, you wanted to vomit because it was just so strong that you could taste it in your mouth. It left a metallic taste in our mouth."
According to Leamington's fire chief, emergency crews attended the scene and turned off the gas meter.
"Enbridge was called to make repairs," added fire chief Andrew Baird.
In a statement to CTV News, Thiessen Apple Orchard said the situation was taken care of "within minutes of the fire department being here."
"Someone backed up into a gas line clearly marked no parking. But we are glad it’s all good," the statement reads.
"It is all resolved. All back to normal."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.