Residents can expect road closures this week due to ongoing work near the site of the 2021 gas explosion in downtown Wheatley.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent said work crews will be conducting controlled tests on Wednesday and Thursday at the site of a recently discovered wooden-cased petroleum well at 17 Talbot Street East. The tests are expected to cause intermittent gas well flaring.
“These tests are a necessary step in the operational plan to permanently secure the abandoned well that was found,” the municipality said.
As a result, Erie Street North will be closed while the tests are being conducted.
The municipality said there is no danger associated with the tests and the road closures are precautionary.
The discovery of the well in mid-September was part of an ongoing investigation into the existence of abandoned hazardous wells. Several buildings in the downtown area were demolished over the summer to allow for excavation around the site of the 2021 gas explosion.
