A ruptured gas line at the future Ãcole Qayqayt Elementary School won't impact the construction project.
Construction crews working on the new $23.2-million school project hit a gas line on Monday morning. Fortis B.C. shut down gas in the area and repaired the pipe.
"The gas line situation has been repaired. The cleanup is complete," said John Woudzia, superintendent of schools. "Basically, they replaced a piece of broken pipe."
A work crew excavating at the former St. Mary's Hospital site at Merrivale Street and Royal Avenue struck and ruptured a six-inch gas line about 8 a.m. on June 3.
Woudzia said crews were working on a bigger gas line when they hit a smaller line that came off the main line.
"They are going to cap it and abandon it," he said. "Fortis did all the work. It was a smaller, older line intended for the hospital."
Fortis' mantra is "call before you dig," noting it's important to know what lies underground before digging or using boring equipment.
Woudzia said, "there is no cost to the school district at all," but the subcontractor could put in an insurance claim.
"They have insurance," he said. "The subcontractors carry out their own liability insurance."
After getting a call shortly before 8 a.m., the fire department closed street access to the area between Sixth Street and McBride Boulevard, and between Royal Avenue and Agnes Street. The road closures, which were in effect until about 11: 40 a.m., resulted in traffic congestion in other parts of the city and forced trucks off route onto Sixth Street and other roads.
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