Kelowna natural gas leak caused by tampering, possible theft of copper: FortisBC

A natural gas line to a business in Kelowna’s north end was tampered with, according to FortisBC, leading to a gas leak that prompted evacuations.

The Kelowna Fire Department and Fortis BC crews were called to the 700-block of Vaughn Avenue around 5 p.m. on Monday for a strong smell of gas.

“As a precaution we shut off the meter supplying gas to the building,” FortisBC corporate communications adviser Diana Sorace said.

Fire crews set up a perimeter between Richter Street and the B.C. Tree Fruits building during the investigation.

Employees at nearby businesses were told to stay inside their offices as a precaution.

The building where the smell of natural gas was coming from is vacant, according to Sorace.

“We investigated the cause and discovered that the lines had been tampered with, likely by someone attempting to steal the copper,” Sorace said.

The building was vented and deemed safe before 7 p.m.

“It is important to note that anyone who is concerned with their natural gas system, or who smell gas, should immediately call FortisBC, as they did in this case, at 1-800-663-9911,” she said.

While theft of copper from electrical lines is still an issue, Sorace said it is not that common on gas lines.

“This particular instance is under investigation with the RCMP,” she said.

“We monitor our system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and conduct regular leak surveys and inspections of natural gas mains, service lines, valves and meters throughout our system so the integrity of our system is of the highest standard as well as its level of safety,” Sorace said.