CANMORE – ATCO has repaired the gas leak that left homes in the Palliser and Silvertip areas without gas.
Town of Canmore officials say ATCO crews, which worked to re-light pilots in all affected homes and buildings until midnight on Wednesday (Jan. 4), were back going door-to-door on Thursday (Jan. 5) in the affected areas to re-light pilots.
“ATCO anticipates that all homes will be re-lit by this evening (Jan. 5) unless there are significant access concerns to a home/homes,” states the Town of Canmore in a release.
For those who have not yet been visited by ATCO crews, call the company’s dispatch at 403-245-7222 to arrange re-lighting.
“Affected homes may also receive a phone call directly from ATCO if their contact information is on file with the company,” says the Town of Canmore.
Shaw was installing fibre optic lines when their contractor struck a gas line at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Jan. 4, resulting in damage to the line, and gas venting into the air.
The Town confirmed that it doesn't have any gas lines on the fire hall construction site, so that isn’t where the leak occurred. It was on the roadway near the Holiday Inn.
When the leak was first reported mid-afternoon, Canmore Fire-Rescue was quick to the scene to evacuate and direct traffic away from the area. The municipal bylaw department and RCMP were also quick to arrive.
All non-local traffic was encouraged to avoid the area to give space for ATCO workers to repair the leak.
Visitors staying at the Holiday Inn were evacuated and transported to the Canmore Recreation Centre where the Town of Canmore’s emergency social services team met them.
As residents in the impacted areas await re-lighting, the Town of Canmore is providing a reminder of ways to stay safe while trying to stay warm:
• If you are using a space heater, make sure that you never leave it unattended and that you keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn. Space heaters should be plugged directly into the wall outlet and not into an extension cord. Always unplug a space heater when it is not in use.
• Patio heaters are designed for an outdoor environment and should not be used inside.
• Do not use an open flame outside of a fireplace to keep warm.
For more information on what to do to prepare for an emergency, visit https://canmore.ca/municipal-services/emergency-services/emergency-management/emergency-preparedness.
