Homes on three streets in the Soho area had to be evacuated after a gas line was ruptured Tuesday morning.
London firefighters rushed to the area after a person digging in the front yard of a house at 227 Hill St. severed the line around 9:40 a.m. Homes in a 500 metre radius on Hill, Grey, and South streets were evacuated as a precaution.
"The gas was venting quite heavily into the atmosphere," said Platoon Chief Shawn Fitzgerald.
Enbridge crews shut off the gas line while firefighters monitored air quality and ensured that levels weren't building inside the affected homes.
Roughly 25 evacuees were allowed back into their homes about an hour later. No one was hurt as a result of the gas leak.
"I understand that people are highly sensitive because of the Woodman Avenue [explosion] recently," said Fitzgerald. "We do go to gas leaks quite often throughout the year. Gas lines do get broken so it is quite a normal situation for us just to evacuate and monitor the air quality, get the leak stopped and deem it safe for occupants to return. Thankfully this time there was no fire or explosion involved."
Seven people were hurt and a home at 450 Woodman Ave. was destroyed by an explosion on August 14 after a vehicle crashed into the house, rupturing a gas line. Two other homes severely damaged in the blast had to be demolished in the days that followed.
