Some Orleans residents return home after Monday's explosion
Eighteen families returned to their homes in Orleans Wednesday evening, two days after Monday's explosion levelled four homes under construction and severely damaged many more.
"We did have our building code team in… and did deem a number of properties structurally safe to reoccupy," Coun. Catherine Kitts said.
"We've been working with Minto, with Hydro One, with Enbridge to resume services to those homes. And once the site is safe and secure, we're looking at perhaps being able to stagger some residents going back home."
Excavation of the blast site started Wednesday and it is expected to take crews several days to clear the rubble. It comes after a drone was used for hours on Tuesday to gather aerial footage.
Kitts says all impacted residents have had somewhere to stay since Monday—either with friends or family or in a hotel. Minto's president says early indications show the blast may have been caused by a natural gas leak, though the investigation is still underway.
Kitts has been at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex for the past few days with other officials providing the latest information to residents and offering any assistance.
"We're continuing to manage, it's been a really traumatic event and I think residents have been patient and we've all been working collaboratively together," Kitts says. "All the partners; Ottawa police, Ottawa fire, the Ontario Fire Marshal, myself we were all on a call this morning to get coordinated so we're all kind of working to make sure residents feel supported and, of course, they can come here (Ray Friel) to get information."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs forward William Nylander sits out 3rd straight game to open the playoffs
Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander sat out his third straight game to open the playoffs Wednesday night because of an undisclosed injury.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.