Two homes in Batchelor Heights were briefly evacuated this morning after another natural gas line was hit.

Kamloops Fire Rescue Captain Jim Gorman says the gas line break happened on Grasslands Boulevard.

“Our crews responded to reports of a gas line struck. When crews arrived, they found that an excavator had struck a gas line in a subdivision. As a precaution they evacuated a couple of homes and had a couple of homes nearby just shelter in place.”

Gorman says traffic is now back to normal in that area and Fortis is repairing the line.

This is the fourth report of a gas line being struck in Kamloops in the last two weeks, and third such incident this week alone, with two others in the Juniper area and a third in Lower Sahali.

“It’s definitely a little more frequent than we’re used to. It’s not uncommon to respond to gas lines being struck, but three in three days is a little unusual for us,” Gorman says. “I guess just call before you dig obviously. It’s an ongoing issue obviously the last three days. Hopefully contractors and the public will take advantage of that service so we can stop these incidents.”

Crews are working to repair a damaged natural gas main caused by a third party on Grasslands Blvd #Kamloops. This is the 3rd preventable incident this week – contact @BC1Call before digging and if you do, follow the information & directions closely #DigSafe #CallBeforeYouDig

— FortisBC (@FortisBC) June 26, 2019