Evacuation continues; major gas leak in Lavington

An estimated 50-100 residents are being evacuated from the area of Highway 6 and Park Lane.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

Republished November 20, 2014 - 3:19 PM

Original Publication Date November 20, 2014 - 10:30 AM

LAVINGTON - As many as 100 residents are being evacuated after a car crashed into a gas line on Highway 6 in Lavington Thursday morning.

The accident occurred around 9:10 a.m. at Highway 6 and Park Lane, near the Lavington Turf Farm. Sgt. Derrick Donovan, with the Vernon RCMP estimates between 50-100 residents within 800 meters of the crash site are being evacuated as a precaution.

Power is out to about 300 B.C. Hydro customers as well. Hydro estimates the electricty should be back on by 3:30 p.m.

The driver of the vehicle was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Whether there were any other occupants in the car remains under investigation.

Highway 6 has been shut down and motorists are being detoured around the scene. As of 11:30 a.m, Fortis and B.C. Hydro crews were still working on shutting off the gas line.

Because of the nature of the situation, Donovan says he couldn’t get close enough to the crash site to describe the scene in detail. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Anxious residents have gathered at the Lavington Superette Store near Hill Drive, where the scent of natural gas is noticeable. People are wondering how to retrieve pets from the affected area and are being assisted by emergency officials.

Evacuated residents are asked to go to an Emergency Social Services reception centre set up at the Women's Institute Hall at 9909 Kalamalka Rd.

There is currently no estimate on when residents will be able to return home, or when Highway 6 will reopen.

Info News will update this story as new information becomes available.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

— This story was updated at 11:36 a.m., and again at 11:57 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 to include updated information from RCMP on the scene and residents.

— This story was updated at 1:52 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 to include location of Emergency Social Services centre.

— This story was updated at 3:18 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014 to add power outage.