Prince George, BC – Highway 97 has been closed and the entire downtown core of Quesnel is under evacuation order after a natural gas mainline was punctured in the Safeway parking lot on Reid Street at 3pm this afternoon.

Fortis BC says a two-inch gas mainline was damaged by a third party. 

Corporate Communications spokesperson, David Wylie, says a natural gas technician is on-site working with local officials to make the area safe.  "So the gas is blowing clear, which is the safest situation," says Wylie.  "Natural gas is lighter than air, so it dissipates into the atmosphere."

"We also have a crew equipped with the necessary tools to safely repair the damage, travelling from Prince George," says the FortisBC spokesperson.  "We expect that crew to be on the scene by about 4:15pm."