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.

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.

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.”