State of emergency declared after hazmat situation in downtown Wheatley
A state of emergency has been declared and several homes have been evacuated after a hazmat situation in downtown Wheatley.
Chatham Kent Fire Service crews from Wheatley and Tilbury attended 16 Erie Street North in downtown Wheatley Wednesday just before 2:30 p.m. for a reported gas leak.
“It’s definitely not natural gas,” said Chatham-Kent fire chief Chris Case. “This is predominantly the type of response we get from an old gas well or capped well. It’s typical of that type of release.”
Windsor Hazmat team attended Wednesday evening to assist.
Several businesses with residential apartments above them were evacuated as a precaution. Police were also on scene and closed the road due to the strong odour.
Bob Smith was one of the 27 residents evacuated from the area.
“Finally got me up, came down and moved on to elsewhere for the night and went to work,” he said.
Gas service to eight adjoining buildings was turned off and purged to rule out natural gas as the cause.
Businesses like the Car Barn restaurant have been shut down.
Owner Barry Broadbent is worried about the food he has in storage, with the electricity to the building shut off.
“The actual area that’s being affected seems to be around the corner from us, so hopefully we’ll be able to get the hydro up and running and get everything back to normal,” Broadbent said.
Chatham-Kent fire officials say it is not a gas leak. Enbridge Gas was there to assist the fire department and as a precaution have shutoff gas to possibly effected homes.
Personnel from CK Police Service, CK EMS and Enbridge also attended.
“We’ve shut off the hydro and we’re trying to make sure that there’s absolutely no chance of gas being ignited,” Case said. “It is very dangerous. Gas coming up from the ground which is why we’re taking a level of precaution.”
The Provincial Ministry of Environment was also on scene and the Ministry of Natural Resources has been informed.
Case said the gas is consistent with a leak coming from a well, however, that has yet to be determined.
The municipality has contacted an expert who is on the way to determine the source of the leak and recommend how to move forward.
There is no indication at this time as to when gas will be restored to the buildings or when the Fire Department will lift the evacuation order.
The state of emergency remains in effect and the public is asked to avoid the area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.