
Houses and businesses were evacuated after a gas line was struck at a development on Fort Street near Linden Avenue in Victoria.
According to developer Abstract Developments, the line was struck at a worksite on 1201 Fort Street Monday afternoon.
The site has been closed and first responders including crews from FortisBC are on site.
The “significant” leak occurred after an excavator hit the line, according to Victoria Fire Acting Battalion Chief Chad Verch.
As for how long the fix may take, Verch said he expected it would take at least a couple of hours.
He said gas monitors were also being placed throughout nearby Central Middle School and crews were monitoring wind conditions and evacuating nearby buildings as needed.
WorkSafe BC has also been contacted, according to Abstract.
The City of Victoria said some people living near the leak were being asked to leave their homes, and houses within a 500-metre radius that have not yet been evacuated were asked to shelter in place.
Please avoid the area of Fort and Ormond. @FortisBC is on scene and responding to a gas leak. First responders are completing door-to-door evacuations. If you are within a 500m radius and have not been evacuated, please shelter in place. #yyj pic.twitter.com/F5yk26peVK
— City of Victoria (@CityOfVictoria) May 3, 2021
No one suffered injuries, Abstract said, but traffic may be affected and people are being asked to avoid the area.
The incident happened where the new development Bellewood Park is under construction.