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TheNettied Gem.
RU“ PU.
issue No. 8
university of
l was walking home last Thurs- day afternoon. the 17th. by way of
t the Blanchard Hall field. As I pass- ! ed through the Marian and Bernar- ‘ dine Hall parking lot. I noticed two lpropane ,trucks' parked there. ‘ That's it. I kept on walking. Little ‘ did 1. or many other students who i walked by those trucks that after- ‘ noon know that their lives were in
i danger by doing so.
. At approximately 1:00 pm. that~
; afternoon. a Speedy Propane truck with about 750 gallons of propane in its tank. whilefilling the residence’s tanks, experienced a propane leak. Security was notified immediately about the leak. however. no evacuation from the Bernardine and Marian Hall residences took place until after 4:00 pm. that afternoon. The fire
‘ department was not notified until approximately 4:30 pm.
I WLEWER'w
Speedy Propane employees at.
tempted to burn off the propane left in the tank.‘ two Speedy Pro-
pane officials from Waverly. Nova} '
Scotia. who had travelled to P.£.l. when they heard of the gas leak. plugged the leak in about an hour and a half. ' The same type of incident .
took plaice ‘on August 8. 1982. causing an exoiosion in back of the Ponderosa Steak House on University.Avenue. The 1982 ex- plosion resulted in about 3 blocks of the city. both businesses and homes. being evacuated. At this time. experts from Moncton had to be brought in to Charlottetown to plug the leak.
The truck was rumored to have been confiscated after the U.P.E.l.' incident. however sources say that
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Moncton undergoing a company inspection. The Fire Chief. Fire In— spector. and Fire Marshall. were unavailable for comment on this matter.
The students who were even— tually evacuated from Marian and Bernardine Halls were housed at the Kirkwood Motel for the night. Director of Administration and Finance. Dennis Clough. said in an October 22 phone interview that the university was u not really sure yet." who would foot the costs of the motel bill. because they had “just got the invoice in yesterday."
The scene has sparked criticism throughout the university about how the situation was handled. The major concern was over the fact that 'were not evacuated and the fire department not called
students
immediately upon
0. ~
f ” e | s knowledge‘offie’pro'blem by the Security Department. In a phone interview with Chief of Security. ‘ A.J. MacLeod. about the incident. he replied that there “is a meeting going on this morning about it."
Students are upset over the oc- currence. and are demanding a full investigation. At the regular meeting of the Student Council last Sunday. a motion was brought forth for Gordon Cobb. SU Presi- dent. “asking fOr an explanation of the events." said Carolyn Ryan VP Academic. Ryan further added that Cobb. “is going to be looking into it."
It is rumored that the University is conducting its own investigation into the propane leak and the way in which it was handled. In a recent phone interview with UPEl's Presi- dent Eliot. he stated that “the Fire
Marshall is conducting an irivestiga“
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JAM" many hOUTS in WhiCh local “I it was not. but that the truck is in
l S l a n Cl October25. 1985
riticism.
"'5';— '1- tion." adding to his statement. “H. L' are cooperating with him ” Presr dent Eliot felt that cooperation with the Fire Marshall was the best way in which the university could get to the bottom of the matter. The Fire Marshall is currently “interviewing staff members who have anything to contribute to his report.” Eliot The litre
Ron Kennedy. “$0.5 unavailable for
commented Marshall.
comment on this ma‘ter
As this week goes on. there will be many more discoveries about the cause of the propane leak and how the situation was,and should have been handled. The Netted Gem is currently worknig on .. follow-up story concerning Ili-‘ concli'siom ol the reports. and meetings. uhic'n am; taking plat
this week about the incident
by Sheila Lun
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