Several buildings near the site of the August 26 gas explosion in Wheatley are being demolished this week.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent said the demolition process is on schedule and should be completed by the end of the week. Once demolition is completed, excavation will begin at the site.
“The excavation will go hand in hand with the pathway analysis,” said Thomas Kelly, the municipality’s general manager of Infrastructure and Engineering Services, in a news release. “The analysis is a key factor in determining how the gas is reaching the surface and gives us important information we can use for remediation.”
Excavation will take place at 19 and 15 Erie Street North and 9 Talbot Trail West to try to find any links between two potential sources of hydrogen sulphide that’s been wreaking havoc on the downtown core since early June.
“The excavation phase of the plan carries with it an elevated risk,” said Kelly. “We’re very mindful of that.”
For safety purposes and to allow work crews to complete the excavation, temporary access to homes was suspended last week.
“We will resume allowing residents to return as soon it is safe to do so, but the current work Is critical to long-term resolution of the problem. If there are any gaps in the work plan, temporary access will be restarted,” said Kelly.
