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Vol. 8 Edition 25
YOUR Independent Community Newspaper THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
Theodore coming to Erieau
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Explosion investigation in Wheatley By Bruce Corcoran bruce@chathamvoice.com
Robyn Brady/Special to The Chatham Voice
Theodore TOO, a TV celebrity tugboat, will dock in Erieau Sept. 11 and 12 at Erieau Marina. Dave Barnier, owner of the marina, said the boat, very popular among young children, should arrive late Sept. 10 and will leave in the afternoon of Sept. 12, weather permitting. Theodore is shown here docked in Mooretown last week.
At least 20 people were injured in Thursday evening’s explosion in downtown Wheatley, and municipal officials are hopeful the province will help find the problem. The explosion occurred at the site of two previous hydrogen sulphide gas leaks earlier this summer. Chatham-Kent firefighters, EMS, police and other staff remained on scene in downtown Wheatley Friday following Thursday’s explosion. Buildings in a two-block radius were evacuated. According to Chris Case, chief of Chatham-Kent Fire and EMS Services, paramedics treated 20 people on scene Thursday night. Thirteen of those were treated and released, while three went to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and four went with minor to moderate non-life-threatening injuries. One person, a municipal employee, had emergency surgery Thursday night. Case said the person is recovering. As for what happened, Case said they have no idea what triggered the explosion, but do believe the electricity was still on. He
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said Entegrus crews were in the process of cutting power in the area when the explosion occurred. He added all his crews could do Friday was maintain a perimeter and monitor the area for gas detection, which was still coming out of the rubble. “We have two buildings that are completely collapsed; that is a rubble pile,” he said. “The adjoining buildings are in a state of structural disrepair, and buildings around were affected by the blast and flying debris.” The blast levelled the former Pogue Irish Pub building and severely damaged the new Wheatley Hotel, Subway and MJ’s Pizza. Many other businesses and apartment dwellings are also damaged. Houses in the area felt the brunt of the blast as well, with debris landing on homes in the neighbourhood. Windows were shattered all along Erie Street and Talbot Road, including the entire front glass portion of Adamson Guardian Drugs. Local residents were shocked and angry as they talked about the two states of emergency that were declared and subsequently lifted in June and July.
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