Residents of a Regent Park neighbourhood have been advised that they can return to their homes after an evacuation earlier today following an apparent explosion in a house on Halleran Place. In all, the residents of nine households were asked to leave their homes just before noon today, Sunday, December 26, 2010.
At approximately 11:38 a.m., December 26, 2010, police and other emergency responders were dispatched to Halleran Place after the report of an explosion at 16 Halleran Place. EMS transported the occupants of the affected house, a 23 year-old male, a 28 year-old female and a 4 year-old girl to hospital. The child sustained the most serious of the injuries, but those were described as non-life-threatening. The Regina Fire Department and SaskEnergy were also among the services responding and an early assessment determined that there was a natural gas leak at the house, therefore a concern for the safety of other area residents. Police asked residents of the street to evacuate their homes and established a safety perimeter while crews worked to cap the leak. At approximately 3:00 p.m., the gas leak was sealed and police began advising residents that they could return to their homes.
The property at 16 Halleran Place has been secured and placarded and fire investigators will continue their investigation into the cause of the explosion. There will also be an inspection of the house by a structural engineer to determine next steps with respect to the building itself. Police have a role in this investigation in looking for any indication of a criminal act that led to the explosion. The investigation is ongoing at this time.
