Part of Quesnel, B.C. was under an evacuation order on Monday afternoon following damage to a Fortis B.C. natural gas pipeline.
The company learned at about 3 pm of damage caused to a two-inch main by a third party, Fortis spokesman David Wylie said. A Fortis technician was on site shortly after to work with local officials on immediate safety precautions. A work crew was headed to Quesnel from Prince George and was expected to be on site shortly after 4 pm Asked about the risk of a potential explosion, Mr. Wylie replied that, "The gas is blowing clear, which is actually the safest situation. Natural gas is lighter than air so it dissipates into the atmosphere so that's what is happening right now."
He was unable to immediately say how much gas was involved or how long it could take to repair the damage.
A city hall employee said the evacuation was restricted to a small area of downtown and was being monitored by police and safety officials.
Wendy Stueck