CANMORE – Town of Canmore officials say there are no immediate safety concerns following the major gas leak near the Holiday Inn that has left homes in the Palliser and Silvertip areas without gas.
Officials say Shaw was installing fiber optic lines when their contractor struck a gas line at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Wednesday (Jan. 4), resulting in damage to the line, and gas venting into the air.
Canmore Fire-Rescue and the RCMP have cleared the scene, and municipal community peace officers remain on site to direct local traffic. All non-local traffic is encouraged to avoid the area to give space for ATCO workers to repair the leak.
"There are no immediate safety concerns," said Nicky Pacas, communications advisor at the Town of Canmore in an email.
The Town has 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.
ATCO has sent a team to re-establish access and Pacas said ATCO is continuing work to fix the leak.
She said once the leak is repaired, ATCO will activate their re-lighting plan and will require access to each individually affected home or building.
"We anticipate this work to take place beginning tomorrow morning (Jan 5) at 7 a.m. or before 10 p.m. tonight (Jan 4) if the situation allows," she said.
"ATCO may need to flare lines as part of normal operations to restore gas."
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.
"Those who have been evacuated from the Holiday Inn are being transported to the Canmore Recreation Centre where the Emergency Social Services team will meet them," Pacas.
"Do not be alarmed if you smell gas in the area. We recommend sheltering in place and closing any open windows in your home."
As residents in the impacted areas await re-lighting, the Town of Canmore is providing a gentle 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
Two days ago, Canmore Fire-Rescue crews responded to calls about a gas leak in the Eagle Terrace neighbourhood.
The leak was contained and there was no cause for concern, according to the municipality.
"Thank you to our emergency responders on scene and to the neighbours who have followed their direction and given them space to do their jobs safely," stated the Town at the time.
