Firefighters helped prevent a ruptured natural gas line fire from spreading at Panago in north Nanaimo on Thursday night. The fire forced staff to flee.  *submitted photo/Graham Romanovsky)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

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VIDEO: Firefighters battle natural gas fire in north Nanaimo

Oct 8, 2021 | 5:20 AM

NANAIMO — A ruptured natural gas line outside a north Nanaimo business complex ignited an out of control fire causing damage to a pizza restaurant.

Firefighters were called out around 10:20 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 7 after reports of a fully involved dumpster fire behind Panago Pizza on the Island Hwy just north of Hammond Bay Rd.

Josh Buczek called 9-1-1 when he was driving by the restaurant, owned by his family, and spotted smoke pouring out of the area.

“It just kept roaring up more and more. It started first in the garbage container then it spread into the bushes then it started melting off the sign.”

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The fire was fuelled by an open natural gas line against the back of the building, meaning firefighters could do little beyond preventing it from spreading further.

Fortis BC located the underground line and pinched it around 11:30 p.m., according to Nanaimo Fire Rescue assistant chief Troy Libbus.

He said the fire was extinguished seconds later.

“Nanaimo Fire Rescue assisted with digging into the ground to locate the line and Fortis pinched the line which shut the gas off,” Libbus said.

The gas line on the exterior wall beneath the Panago ruptured, leading to a natural gas fire late on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 7. (Google)

Nobody was injured and the cause of the fire is unknown, Libbus said.

He noted Fortis officials were on site testing gas levels to determine if it was safe for firefighters to go inside.

A majority of the damage to the building appeared to be contained to the exterior with a melted sign at the Panago outlet.

One worker of the neighbouring Fitness Experience confirmed to NanaimoNewsNOW on scene their store sustained minor water damage.

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