Two Residential Blocks Evacuated in Banff After Gas Leak on Otter Street

What’s Happening? A gas line was accidentally cut during construction on the 200 Block of Otter Street in Banff on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 26), triggering an evacuation order for two full residential blocks and shutting off natural gas to roughly 200 homes.

How It Started. The incident occurred around 2:30 PM when a contractor hit a gas line at 208 Otter Street. Banff Fire Department ordered an immediate evacuation for all properties on both sides of the 200 Block of Otter Street and the 200 Block of Grizzly Street. Power to the area was shut off as a precaution while emergency crews and ATCO Gas worked to contain the leak.

Town officials said the evacuation was ordered “out of an abundance of caution,” and that no one was injured.

Residents were notified both door to door and through the Voyent Alert system, and anyone needing a safe place to wait was directed to the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre.

The Fix and the All Clear. By 4:35 PM, the leak was contained and the Town lifted the evacuation order. Residents were allowed back into their homes, and power was restored shortly after. ATCO Gas posted that crews were “working with Banff Fire” and that repairs were moving “as quickly and safely as possible.”

Although the immediate danger was resolved, natural gas service remained shut off for a large surrounding area. ATCO said approximately 200 homes were affected by the shutdown.

Restoring Gas Will Take Time. Even after the leak was secured, restoring gas service is not as simple as turning it back on. ATCO personnel must visit each affected home individually to confirm service is restored safely and to relight gas appliances. The Town noted this process “may take a couple hours” and would extend into the evening.

Residents returning home were advised to expect no gas temporarily and to stay at the Banff Recreation Centre if they needed warmth or a place to wait. The Centre remained available until 10 PM.

No further risks remain in the area. Updates will be posted on the Town of Banff website as needed. For now, the evacuation zone has reopened, the leak is contained, and service restoration is underway.

A Second Gas Leak Reported in Canmore. At 5:39 PM on the same day, Canmore residents received a Voyent Alert about a separate gas leak on Palliser Trail near Palliser Lane.

Fire Rescue Services and ATCO are on scene and traffic in the area is being restricted. The Town of Canmore reports that there is no evacuation order at this time, but residents are asked to avoid the area so crews can focus on the incident. Updates will be posted on the Town of Canmore Website as more information becomes available.