Wheatley Update December 7

Media Release

December 7, 2022

Plans Underway for Erie Street re-opening

Fencing will be erected along both sides of Erie Street North in Wheatley in preparation for the re-opening of the street which has been closed since an explosion in August of last year.

Fences will be placed along much of the block immediately north of Talbot Road. Buildings along the west side of the block have Prohibited Access by CBO Order.

The east side of the street contains the revised evacuation zone. The zone was recently reduced and there are no longer any single-family residences within that area.

Officials are planning to open the street to two lanes of traffic within the next two weeks. Options to allow pedestrian traffic along the street are being discussed. The street will still be closed to large truck traffic.

A scrubber system designed to capture H2S gas emissions at the site of earlier incidents in downtown Wheatley is now operational.

Filters in the unit will trap any H2S gas and reduce it to zero. The system will remain on site for six months after which a determination will be made for long-term action.

The current flare stack onsite will remain as a backup system for the time being as an additional safety measure.

Officials are preparing a report for Chatham-Kent Council for its December 12 meeting. That report will be listed on https://www.chatham-kent.ca/localgovernment/council/meetings/Pages/Council-Meetings.aspx by noon this Thursday, December 8.