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.
Expect a few floors of water damage pic.twitter.com/8sz1VisDPC
— stevieglarocca (@steviegabc) July 10, 2019
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.
Explosion at Nautica North on 2 Rd in Steveston
— stevieglarocca (@steviegabc) July 10, 2019
3rd and fourth floors have patio doors blown open@CKNW @TheRichmondNews #happeningnow pic.twitter.com/4NsacxlDQg
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.
The fire fighters are out and Thanks @TransLink for 2 buses that have shown up for evacuated Nautica North residents.
— stevieglarocca (@steviegabc) July 10, 2019
Apparently a structural wall on the second floor may have been blown out
Gas work was being done
No injuries that ive heard pic.twitter.com/YwmehAqlLu