Explosion levels a building at the corner of Erie Street North and Talbot Trail in Wheatley, August 26, 2021. Photo credit: Kathryn Parent, Photography by Phos via Twitter.

Clean-up crews are inching closer to being able to find the source of the gas leak in Wheatley, now two weeks since an explosion rocked the town’s downtown core.

Municipal officials expect the removal of debris from the blast site to be finished by the end of the week.

There has been no detection of the toxic, flammable gas since the explosion. Debris from the site of the explosion is being bagged and taken to a landfill facility for proper disposal of any hazardous material such as asbestos.

Residents with concerns about their property, business or personal expenses are urged to contact their insurance companies to determine their coverage and to be able to access firms who deal with restoration and mitigation Issues.

Meantime, Chatham-Kent’s CAO wants to clear up some misinformation being shared on social media about tearing down some other buildings in the area.

“The structural integrity of buildings in the vicinity of the blast has not been determined as of yet,” Don Shropshire says. “Municipal officials will take the appropriate action regarding structures when it is safe to do so.”

RBC is setting up a temporary bank in the parking lot of the Wheatley Arena. The mobile unit has arrived in the community and will be operational as soon as possible. The RBC branch in downtown Wheatley remains closed.

Residents with concerns about their property, business or personal expenses are urged to contact their insurance companies to determine their coverage and to be able to access firms who deal with restoration and mitigation Issues.

Local community aid efforts are being coordinated through the Active Citizens of Wheatley, the Wheatley Business Improvement Area and the Wheatley Food Bank. Information on activities can be found at the active citizens Facebook group.