The 16 residents of one of two Esquimalt apartment buildings that were evacuated on Tuesday were cleared to return home Thursday, in the aftermath of a cave-in at an adjacent excavation for a new development.
A neighbouring building was also evacuated Tuesday but residents were allowed to go back later that day.
The buildings at Constance Avenue and Admirals Road were evacuated so their safety and stability could be assessed after the ground fell up to six metres, said Esquimalt Fire Chief Steve Serbic.
Residents who had no other place to stay were put up in hotels.
Serbic said repairs are underway at the site. A driveway area that collapsed and the retaining wall beside it had to be repaired and secured, with fill being moved into the gap that had emerged.
“I believe they’re digging out all of the crushed rock from another site in Langford to bring it over here,” Serbic said.
Esquimalt Fire Rescue has made sure the building’s emergency exits are up to standard, he said.
A reception area set up for the residents at the nearby Archie Browning Sports Centre has now been shut down.
When contacted by the Times Colonist on both Wednesday and Thursday, Calgary-based Eagle Crest Construction, which is building a six-storey rental complex at the excavation site, said it did not have anyone available to discuss the cave-in or efforts to repair the site.
WorkSafeBC said a stop-work order was issued for the site.
Orlena Lucas, one of the tenants who returned home Thursday, said she has mixed feelings about being back in familiar surroundings after two nights in a hotel.
“I’m relieved to be home but still kind of worried about what’s going to go on and continue there.”
Lucas said she realizes the ground has been reinforced “but I know what happened.”
She applauded Esquimalt Social Services for running the reception centre and arranging alternate accommodation.
Wally Underwood, another tenant who was displaced for two nights, said the emergency response and evacuation were handled well. “I’m so grateful to the fire department.”
Serbic said he saw similar incidents when he was a firefighter in Surrey, and was impressed with the speed of the construction company’s response in this case.
“It was long hours to get that done,” Serbic said. “For something that could have taken a long time, I was very impressed. I went down there and thanked them.”
