The owner of a downtown building is disputing a legal action the City of Prince George has brought against it in the aftermath of a natural gas explosion last summer that levelled the structure and seriously injured a city employee.
In a response filed Tuesday, Commonwealth Campus has denied the city's claim that it had failed to properly secure the building at 422 Dominion St. from break-ins, damage and theft.
Instead, Commonwealth says it had "acted in a reasonable and lawful manner at all times," including the "hiring of a licensed security firm to perform regular inspection of the exterior and the interior of the building including on the day prior to the date of loss."
The explosion was "due to the negligence, activities and conduct of persons unknown," Commonwealth says.
On the morning of Aug. 22, 2023, the old Achillion restaurant building was destroyed in a blast that was heard for kilometres around.
A city parks worker who smelled gas was seriously injured by the explosion as she was walking away from the east entrance to the building. Two other people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
At the time of the blast, the building had been listed for lease or sale for several years by Commonwealth. It hadn’t been used as a restaurant since the Achillion closed on Oct. 29, 2016 when owner Kostas Iliopulos retired after 32 years of operating the popular eatery.
Commonwealth bought the building in 2010 before construction of the adjacent UNBC’s Wood Innovation and Design Centre, when there was speculation the entire block would eventually be turned into a downtown university campus.
In April, the City had filed a "third-party notice" against Commonwealth, as well as against three "John Does," putting the blame on them for the blast and pulling Commonwealth into a legal conflict between the city and the the owner of the neighbouring Heartbreakers nightclub.
Meanwhile, the owner of Heartbreakers, listed as 1075459 B.C. Ltd. and Encore Promotions Inc. has secured an order from the court for a recording of a call the employee made to the city's 311 service the day before the blast in which she reported an "alarming smell of natural gas" and was allegedly told by the operator that they would take care of the problem.
The next day, the employee once again noticed a "loud hissing noise" and the smell of gas and this time, called Fortis, the natural gas supplier. While doing so, the explosion occurred and she suffered serious injuries as a result, according to an application seeking the order.
Heartbreakers is seeking damages from the city in part due to a loss of profits after the explosion forced closure of the business for a time.
The allegations have not yet been tested in court.
With files from Ted Clarke
