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Walmart North evacuated after gas leak. Snow wreaks havoc on roofs

Firefighters moved a lot of snow on Wellington Street West after a porch collapsed and an occupant couldn't be found
Sault Fire Truck with logo
Heavy snow also caused a gas leak at Lowe's Home Improvement Store on Northern Avenue East

Walmart Supercentre at 446 Great Northern Road closed two hours early Sunday night after Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services ordered the store evacuated because of a natural gas leak.

The leak was traced to a rooftop heating unit and attributed to heavy snow load.

Firefighters were called at 8:05 p.m. and turned off the store's main gas feed once the source of the leak was located.

Union Gas and Walmart were working last night to fix the problem.

The store will be closed Monday for Family Day, as planned.

There were other problems with roof snow.

At 10:03 p.m. Fire Services responded to a similar rooftop situation at the Lowe's Home Improvement Store at 248 Northern Avenue East.

They found natural gas leaking from a severed feeder line serving a rooftop heating unit, again blamed on the heavy snow load.

In a third snow-related incident, Fire Services rushed to a residence in the 600 block of Wellington Street West after a porch collapsed and an occupant was reported missing.

Firefighters spent 45 minutes at the scene, moving large quantities of snow before the occupant was located elsewhere by the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.


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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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