Three hospitalized, widespread damage after Wheatley, Ont. building explosion
Three people have been sent to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after a building exploded in downtown Wheatley, Ont., according to Chatham-Kent officials.
Emergency crews were called around 6:30 p.m. to the building on Talbot Road East and Elm Street. People in the community say the building previously housed the Pogue Irish Pub.
An investigation to determine the cause of the explosion is underway, according to Chatham-Kent fire officials.
Kathryn Parent had just sat down for dinner at Renny's Restuarant, just around the corner, when she heard the explosion go off.
"This huge blast-sounding kaboom happened. Things fell off the wall. The glass on the window exploded and rattled. The building shook," said Parent, adding she had noticed fire trucks surrounding the area just hours before the explosion happened.
According to Chatham-Kent officials, monitoring devices placed at the site indicated the presence of gas at approximately 4:30 p.m. — about two hours before the explosion happened.
"Pray for our town. I mean we're such a small town, a very tight community, and we've been just in turmoil since this happened," said Wheatley Business Improvement Association member Kimberley Grant.
The municipality said Thursday that homes and businesses in the area have been evacuated and a reception centre has been set up at Wheatley Arena.
The explosion is in the vicinity of the location where hydrogen sulphide gas was first discovered back in June, prompting an evacuation order and the declaration of a state of emergency at the time.
In July, the municipality declared a second state of emergency after confirming hydrogen sulfide was once again present. The province was later tasked with investigating the source of the gas leaks, as the state of emergency remained in effect.
CTV News has created this timeline of the events in downtown Wheatley that led up to Thursday's explosion.
The municipality said more information will be released Friday.
With files from CTV's Angelo Aversa.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Saskatchewan isn't remitting the carbon tax on home heating. Why isn't my province following suit?
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
RCMP officers had no legal authority to enter man's home, make arrest: B.C. court
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.