Early indications show natural gas caused Orleans explosion: Minto president

Early indications show the east Ottawa explosion that injured 12 people and levelled homes under construction may have been caused by a natural gas leak, the president of Minto said Tuesday.

“The indication is natural gas,” Brent Strachan told CTV News on Tuesday. But he stressed that the investigation into the blast is still in its early stages.

“We’re trying not to speculate or come to any early conclusions,” he said.

The explosion just after 6:15 a.m. Monday destroyed four homes in a new Minto development off Tenth Line Road in Orleans. Other homes were damaged and residents in about 30 surrounding homes remained displaced on Tuesday.

Twelve people were injured, including two who had to be rescued from the rubble. They were taken to the Ottawa Hospital trauma centre in serious condition. There is no update on the extent or the nature of their injuries.

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Strachan said the new development has about 170 homes in various stages of construction, including the 30 where residents had already taken possession.The four homes destroyed on Tuesday were nearly complete.

“Where the blast occurred, those houses were almost finished. The roof was on, it was enclosed, so it wasn’t far off or occupancy in the next month or so,” he said. “That’s the unfortunate part, this home is now going to be started again.”

New meeting spot

Ottawa Fire Services said people looking for more information about the fire on Tuesday should go to the Ray Friel Recreation Complex. The Minto Sales Centre had been the gathering point on Monday, but it’s now closed.

Affected residents were connected with the Red Cross, which found accomodations for them Monday night and again tonight, he said.

“Right now we’re taking it day by day,” Strachan said.

Investigation will take days

The Office of the Fire Marshal’s drone was up Tuesday morning taking footage of the scene. After that, excavation work is going to take several days, officials said.

The provincial Ministry of Labour and Technical Standards and Safety Authority were also called in.

“Right now, the site has been completely closed off, so all that we know is what we can see from the perimeter,” Strachan said.

“Once the all-clear is given then we’ll have the opportunity to go in and assess each house as far as the extent of the damage to determine what’s required and how quickly we can get people either moved into their homes, or back into their homes.”

Strachan said Minto is helping people in surrounding homes that may have been damaged to contact their insurance companies.

- with files from Katie Griffin, CTV News Ottawa