London Firemen Morley Hanes, left, and Don Varey stop for a moment to attend to an injury to Mr. Varey’s hand.
(Photo by Rick Eglington of The London Free Press)
Threat of gas explosion prompts evacuation orders
By Dave Dauphinee of The Free Press
The threat of a natural gas explosion from underground lines west of the Central Chev fire scene caused officials to order the evacuation of buildings along one block of Talbot Street Thursday afternoon.
Merchants had conducted business as usual during the fire but when underground explosions began throwing flames into the air from manholes, officials went door-to-door in the block between Fullarton and Maple Streets warning about the hazard.
Deborah Fear was working in the Taj’s Pillow and Crafts at 472 Talbot St. when excited customers rushed in to tell her about the fire 50 yards behind her building across a parking lot.
“I walked to the back of the building and there was all this fire,” she said as she stood behind police lines watching the smoke billow skyward.
“We could feel the heat in our building,” she said.
Customers and workers were forced to leave Marg’s Restaurant where about four persons were working. Four more persons from the next-door Mortgage Masters and several from Ana’s Hairstyling and a barber shop also had to leave.
Rumors rippled among the group huddled in the lee of the row of buildings about possible explosions.
Each new “popping” as something exploded under the street half a block away brought new fears that the fire might be edging their way through underground tunnels.
People started to run about 4 p.m. when an explosions, preceded by rumblings, threw flames and smoke 30 feet into the air from a manhole.
As the fire died and flames turned to noxious smoke covering the area, merchants either moved back to their stores or closed for the day.
Most say they will be open for business today.
