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Richmond residents evacuated after explosion at apartment complex

A number of families were out of a home following a natural gas explosion at a Steveston apartment complex Wednesday afternoon. Richmond fire crews arrived at the Nautica North complex, which sits on No.
Gas Explosion
Fire crews and RCMP cordoned off Nautica North apartment complex following a gas explosion Wednesday afternoon. Photo: @steviegabc / Twitter

A number of families were out of a home following a natural gas explosion at a Steveston apartment complex Wednesday afternoon.

Richmond fire crews arrived at the Nautica North complex, which sits on No. 2 Road, south of Andrews Road, in the early afternoon. 

The blast may have been caused by maintenance work on gas fire places in the complex.

Everyone in the building was safely evacuated after the incident, which had caused a small fire.

Evacuated residents were also able to temporarily shelter in two buses supplied by TransLink.

Pictures posted on social media showed patio doors had been blown open by the explosion and water leaking from damaged pipes.

Four units were damaged and those residents weren’t able to return home Wednesday night.

Emergency services had the area cordoned off, with a large number of fire trucks and police vehicles on the scene.