A Saturday evening sour gas well rupture in southwest Airdrie prompted officials to evacuate 13 homes in the community of Dry Creek Bay, and a noticeable odour was detected in communities on the north edge of Calgary’s city limits.
“Just after 6:00, there was an odour noted in the area,” said Deputy Chief of Operation Garth Rabel of the City of Airdrie Fire Department. “Crews responded and on arrival they found that a well on one of the land leases had ruptured and was emitting its content into the atmosphere.”
Members of the Airdrie Fire Department, RCMP, and a Calgary Fire Department air monitoring truck were dispatched to the scene.
“Crews initially cordoned off the area so no one else could come in and then we started evacuating those residents that were downwind of the incident, to the south, as quickly and effectively as we could.”
The evacuated homes were situated between Yankee Valley Blvd. and Range Rd 264.
“Between road allowances, that’s about a two mile stretch, and there’s about 13 rural residences, these are farms or acreages with families,” said Rabel.
“We won’t let anybody back into this area until we’re absolutely certain it’s safe.”
Displaced residents were provided with accomodation or elected to stay with friends or family. As of 12:45 p.m. Sunday, residents were permitted to return to their homes.
Kallisto Energy, the owners of the gas wellhead, completed the capping of the well on Sunday afternoon. The cause of the rupture has not been released.
