A gas leak incident closed Lougheed Highway in Mission on Sunday (Sept. 15) from Glasgow Avenue to Manson Street.
Safety concerns shut down the highway to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic and an alert advised residents in the First Avenue area to shelter in place.
Locals were urged to close all windows and doors and stay in their homes unless the smell of gas was present. Residents were also encouraged to keep pets inside.
In a statement provided to the Mission Record, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said its contractor for the Mission truck route improvements project inadvertently struck a FortisBC gas line on Sunday morning while excavating alongside Highway 7.
"Safety is the ministry’s number one priority. Ministry staff will be reviewing this incident with the contractor to ensure the correct safety protocols and procedures are in place as work continues," the ministry said.
Mission Fire Rescue Service, City of Mission staff and Fortis BC attended the scene to address the issue.
Fortis BC completed repairs on the gas leak by 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and the advisory to shelter in place was lifted.
The road remain closed until single-lane alternating traffic was implemented on Monday morning (Sept. 16). A detour was available to drivers via Stave Lake Road to Dewdney Trunk Road to Cedar Street.
The single-lane traffic was in effect until 5 a.m. on Tuesday (Sept. 17) to address "emergency utility work", the province says.
The stretch of road between Murray Street and Stave Lake Street was undergoing for single-lane alternating traffic last weekend due to construction in the area to improve downtown truck traffic.
Meanwhile, Mission RCMP issued a news release last week about two downtown gas lines tampered with.
However, the detachment says it isn’t aware of any indication that Sunday’s gas leak is suspicious.