HALIFAX – Both Heritage Gas and the city plan to conduct internal reviews after a major natural gas leak on Tuesday forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes and businesses in Dartmouth.
A contractor working on behalf of the city of Halifax on a watermain and paving project punctured a 14-centimetre gas main on Gaston Road at around 8:30 a.m.
The leak was repaired and residents were allowed back home after the noon hour.
“We’re sorry for the inconvenience the incident has caused the residents and businesses in Dartmouth,” said Heritage Gas president, Bill Swan. “we’re pleased with the response of our team in working with the emergency responders to pinch off the line and begin the repairs so we can reactivate any of the affected customers.”
City spokesman Brendan Elliott said their contractor, which he declined to name, was aware of the pipeline and had been consulting with Heritage Gas on the project.
“Anytime a contractor has to do work on behalf of the city, they’ll take a look at all the work that needs to be done and then also recognizing whether or not there are natural gas lines underneath,” he said.
“In fact, one of the things they were doing was lowering the gas line in order to continue the paving and watermain work they needed to do.”
This isn’t the first time the neighbourhood has experienced a gas leak. Last July, a contractor punctured a gas main on another section of Gaston Road on the same day a major leak happened in south end Halifax.
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The two incidents prompted Heritage Gas to file a report with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, which concluded the leaks were preventable.
The company promised to increase inspections on contractor work, require more training and work with contractors to update pre-job planning procedures.
Heritage Gas plans to launch an investigation to see what lessons can be learned from Tuesday’s incident.
“We will work with the contractor and report to the regulator what the findings of our investigation were and then we will do everything we can do determine what can be done differently in a go forward basis to prevent this from happening in the future,” Swan said.
The “Call Before You Dig” catch phrase is a vital reminder for construction crews.
It’s an especially important mantra for Philip Jennex, who runs Underground Consulting Services Inc. The company helps contractors and private homeowners check for buried facilities, including natural gas pipelines.
Jennex said the issue is increasingly concerning because of the frequency of pipeline installation in the province.
“We’ve done a locate on Monday, gone back to meet our customer on Thursday, and the gas line was put in Tuesday, Wednesday. So, that’s how quickly it can change,” Jennex said. “But it isn’t a worry if you call before you dig.”
He added it’s extremely easy to damage a pipeline, even if it isn’t punctured.
“You still damage the coating which causes it to rust which causes damage down the road,” he said. “So they even want you to let them know if you touch it so they can repair that little spot and put it back the way it was.”
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