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A leaking gas main from a construction accident forced the evacuation of several blocks in downtown Osoyoos Friday, and potentially put the community at risk.
“It went well, but it could have been extremely dangerous because the gas was flowing and getting into Home Hardware and a few of the other businesses,” said Osoyoos Fire Chief Rick Jones. “If a fuel/air ratio gets to the right ratio, all it would take is a light switch shut on or off and it could blow up.”
That’s why firefighters moved people out of the area, forcing the temporary closure of some businesses, and they asked people to leave a number of residences, Jones said.
Several roads and lanes were also closed to vehicles and pedestrians following the incident, which occurred shortly after 9 a.m.
A spokesperson for the gas company, FortisBC, said procedures were followed to ensure public safety and the gas leak was brought under control by around 2:30 p.m.
“So it turned out to be something of a non-event,” said Ruth Sulentich, community relations manager with FortisBC.
The construction contractor replacing storm sewers for the town in the lane behind Home Hardware said proper procedure was followed to locate gas lines in the area, but FortisBC didn’t tell them about the abandoned line they hit.
That three-quarter-inch line broke off where it was coupled to the two-inch main.
“We hooked the line that was not on their (FortisBC’s) location plans,” said Laura Venables, owner of V Line Construction Ltd. “We didn’t break the line because we were going very, very slow anyway because of all the other stuff in the ground, but it did pull it out of the compression coupler at the main.”
“I understand that one had got missed because it was a line that was for an old home that used to be in the spot where the parking lot was,” Jones said. “It hadn’t been taken out … and they hooked it and pulled it off the top of the main line.”
The small excavator was being operated by John Soltes, Venables confirmed.
FortisBC, however, isn’t saying anything about the cause of the incident pending an investigation that could take several weeks.
“I can’t comment specifically on this incident just because after each incident there’s always an investigation that takes place,” Sulentich said. “However, we do encourage everyone to call BC One Call prior to excavating.”
Venables said Monday that her construction company has encountered other lines that weren’t on FortisBC’s location plans and staff was working with the gas company to try to locate any remaining ones.
“We’re trying to locate anything else because there’s been a few capped lines,” she said. “And there’s no way of knowing where they are… It’s very frustrating.”
Osoyoos Fire and Rescue was on the scene shortly after the accident, placing fire trucks to block streets into the area.
A FortisBC crew arrived soon thereafter, but Sulentich wasn’t able to give the time of their arrival.
Home Hardware left its doors open to allow gas to escape, but customers were not allowed into the store for safety reasons.
Although the store lost some business during the incident, owner Frances Sologuk said she’s not bitter at all.
“I’m just grateful that no one got hurt,” she said. “It could have been pretty major when you think about what’s sold in a hardware store. From paint to ammunition to propane tanks, so I’m just happy that everyone is safe.”
Staff was kept on hand throughout the day, she said, in case the store was able to reopen.
At Meeka’s Restaurant just up the street, owner Mohammad Sobhani said he also had to turn away a number of customers over the busy lunch hour.
“Lots of people walked in,” he said. “I had to say: ‘I’m sorry, I can’t serve you.’”
The air in the restaurant was tested several times and continued to have unsafe levels of gas, he said.
Although Sobhani said he didn’t intend to fight for compensation, he admitted he would be happy if businesses were compensated.
The repair took longer, Jones said, because FortisBC made the decision not to shut off the main because there were about 60 customers as far as the Watermark Beach Resort and the BC Liquor Store that would lose gas service. Instead, the company decided to repair it while it was live.
This involved digging another hole about 30 feet from the rupture and welding pipe onto the live gas line in order to bypass the break.
“They’re very, very good at their job,” Jones said, admitting he steps back when this task is being done.
As the wind direction shifted during the day, the smell of gas was strong in some parts of the downtown and was noticeable even as far as Family Foods.
Still, some people were observed walking on the south sidewalk on Main Street with lit cigarettes.
Fire Chief Jones said they were probably far enough away, but it was risky behaviour nonetheless.
“I always say give your head a shake. There’s a gas leak,” he said. “What are you doing? If it’s your time, it will be the perfect fuel mixture and you’ll blow yourself and everybody else up.”
It’s hard in an incident like this to convince people that there is a danger, Jones said, adding that a number of people walked through blocked off areas and one even walked up to the hole as gas was blowing out.
“It’s very hard to keep people away,” he said.
Natural gas, however, is not as dangerous as propane because gas rises and dissipates into the atmosphere, he said. Propane is heavier, so it falls to the ground and goes into sewers, gutters, ground depressions and basements.
Jones said he’s grateful to those who helped by leaving their homes and shutting down their businesses.
“It was greatly appreciated that they co-operated,” he said.
