Rupture an anomaly: steam pipe system operator continues to investigate

London, Ont. -

Rafi Isho says he keeps replaying the moment of the blast over and over again in his mind, thankful the front doors of his business were closed and thinking about what might have happened if those doors were open.

“Especially my dad. He was really close to the door. So, still a little bit shaky," said Isho.

For the time being Isho's business, Finest Auto Detailing, is on hold as he waits for direction from his insurance company. He’s also hoping engineers can ensure the building is still sound after a steam pipe rupture shattered the sidewalk gushing steam into the air.

The force caused the building to shudder and buckled garage doors at the front. Isho is hopeful the building is OK but just isn't sure, "There's some cracks in the walls. There's like, you know, damage on the front of the building."

In many communities there are wisps of steam coming from sewer grates or subway grates. But it's uncommon to see the constant flow of steam coming from manhole covers, as is the case on some streets in downtown London.

That's because there is a network of steam pipes in the downtown that are used to heat a number of buildings. At some points you can hear the steam passing through pipes underground

"The London system is a very strong and safe system," said Jason Brimble, executive vice president of operations for Enwave, which purchased London District Energy five years ago.

Brimble says the company’s investigation is in its early stages, but says Friday’s incident appears to be an anomaly due to an unusual way the pipe was reconfigured in the past.

He says steam heating is safe and Enwave has made a strong commitment to the technology in London, adding, “We've invested over $50 million in upgrades to both our underground infrastructure and the generating facilities at our central plant."

Brimble expressed gratitude to first responders who came to the scene and to customers and other residents impacted by the rupture.

He says Enwave will take what they learn from the investigation into Friday’s incident and use those lessons going forward.