About half a dozen Castlegar homes were evacuated on Tuesday morning after city workers struck a gas line in a residential area.
The leak occurred about 10 a.m. when a municipal backhoe ruptured the line near 5th Avenue and 6th Street. The area was filled with a loud hissing sound and rotten-egg smell from the escaping gas.
“It sounds a lot worse than it really is, but it’s a high-pressure gas line,” said Castlegar Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio. “We want to make sure the area is safe until Fortis BC is on the scene.”
Residents in the area were asked to leave their homes and emergency crews blocked the streets while Fortis closed the line to make repairs.
The gas line was closed and roads re-opened around 11:30.
