Dozens of people in Nanaimo were forced from their homes Thursday after a lightning strike caused a major gas leak.
Nanaimo Fire said lightning struck a 100-foot fir tree, travelled down the tree and ruptured the gas line underground.
"This is the weirdest thing I’ve seen in 30 years. You hear lightning striking the trees all the time, but never branching out underground and severing gas lines," Nanaimo Fire Rescue assistant chief Martin Drakeley said.
It happened at around 10 p.m. in Nanaimo on Blueback Road.
Drakeley said Fortis B.C. was called in and turned off the gas.
More than 30 homes were evacuated – affecting around 40 people.
City of Nanaimo Emergency Management set up a registration centre at Oliver Woods Community Centre once it was determined that it would take a long time for the “raw gas” to dissipate from the residences.
The facility had no gas service as of Friday morning, but residents were allowed to return to their homes at 3 a.m.
Some had left in such a hurry they forgot to lock doors and windows, prompting security to be called in to keep an eye on things.
The last of the evacuees returned home at 8:30 Friday morning.
Drakeley told CTV News no civilians or first responders were hurt or became sick from the leak. An arborist will inspect the tree Friday.
The storm also caused several power surges all over the city.
