Gas Safety and Planning
Gas Leak Warning Signs: Leave First, Then Call
Emergency instructions come before diagnosis or service: recognize possible warning signs, leave the area and let emergency responders and the fuel supplier make it safe.
What to do first
Start with the immediate safety steps
Leave immediately. From a safe distance, call 911 and Enbridge Gas at 1-866-763-5427 if you smell or hear natural gas escaping in Ontario. Do not use switches, phones, electronics, flames, appliances, tools, vehicles or motors near the suspected leak, and do not re-enter until emergency responders or Enbridge Gas say it is safe. For suspected propane, evacuate, call 911 and call the propane supplier's emergency number from a safe distance.
The emergency sequence is leave, distance, call and wait
A suspected leak requires a simple sequence because trying to confirm the source can create delay and an ignition opportunity. Leave the building or outdoor area immediately. Once you are a safe distance away, call 911 and the fuel supplier emergency line. For Enbridge Gas customers in Ontario, the emergency number is 1-866-763-5427. Give the address, describe what you smelled, heard or saw and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Stay away, keep others back and do not return for a phone, keys, pets or belongings. Do not re-enter until the emergency responders or utility have cleared it. If gas is burning, call 911 and do not try to extinguish it yourself.
After emergency crews say it is safe
Send the appliance or gas-line details for service
Do not use this form during an emergency. After emergency responders or the fuel supplier say it is safe to return, send the appliance or gas-line details, the symptom and any recent service history.
Odour is an important warning, but not the only one
Enbridge Gas identifies a rotten-egg or sulphur-like odour as a possible sign of a natural gas leak. It also lists hissing or whistling, damaged appliance connections and vegetation dying without an obvious reason. A damaged gas meter or line, localized blowing dust or debris near excavation, bubbling in wet ground or an unexpected change after digging can also justify emergency action. Odour may be faint, intermittent or affected by a person's ability to smell, so absence of a strong smell does not make visible damage or escaping-gas sounds safe. Do not approach a suspected line, appliance, meter, regulator or tank to investigate. Leave and describe the observation from a safe location.
- Rotten-egg or sulphur-like odour indoors or outdoors.
- Hissing or whistling near a line, meter, appliance connection or tank.
- Damaged piping, meter, regulator, connector or an excavation strike.
- Unexplained localized movement of dust, leaves or water, or stressed vegetation.
Avoid anything that could ignite gas
Enbridge Gas instructs people not to use phones or electronics near a suspected leak, not to turn appliances or lights on or off, not to smoke or use lighters or matches, and not to start vehicles or motors. The same cautious principle applies to doorbells, garage-door openers, power tools, flashlights not intended for the environment and any action that creates a spark or flame. Do not operate a shutoff as a substitute for evacuation unless an emergency authority specifically directs you from a safe position. Do not test a fitting with a match, search with an electronic device or start a vehicle parked beside the suspected area. Make calls only after reaching a safe distance.
Why 911 and the utility are the first calls
Emergency responders manage immediate threats to people and property. The gas utility manages its system and can assess, isolate or make utility-side conditions safe. Those roles come before normal contractor diagnosis or repair. Enbridge Gas tells Ontario residents to call 911 and its emergency line when gas is smelled or heard escaping, and its emergency response is separate from a paid contractor service visit. Never assume a neighbour, alarm company or passerby has reported the condition. Once outside, make the calls yourself if you safely can. Follow any evacuation boundary or street closure and give responders access. A later repair estimate is not relevant until the emergency authority has controlled the hazard and stated what follow-up is required.
Propane needs the same leave-first mindset and a different supplier call
Propane is a different fuel and supply system, but a suspected release still requires evacuation and distance before communication. The Canadian Propane Association explains that an odourant can make a leak smell like rotten eggs or a skunk and cautions people never to ignore the smell, even if it is faint. Leave, call 911 and contact the propane supplier's emergency number from a safe distance. Do not approach a cylinder, tank, regulator or appliance to test or close it during a suspected leak. Do not re-enter until a qualified responder has cleared the area. After the emergency is controlled, the propane supplier or appropriately qualified service personnel should determine the inspection, repair and reactivation process.
Carbon monoxide is different from a fuel leak
Natural gas and propane are fuel gases; carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colourless and odourless gas that can be produced when fuel does not burn completely. You cannot rely on smell to detect CO. Ontario advises that if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, everyone should get outside immediately and call 911 or local emergency services from outside. Possible symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness and loss of consciousness. Do not treat a CO alarm as a reason to search for a malfunctioning appliance. Leave first. Working alarms provide warning, but they do not replace proper appliance installation, clear vents and professional inspection. Follow current Ontario requirements and the alarm manufacturer's placement, testing and replacement instructions.
What happens after the area is declared safe
Clearance from emergency responders or the fuel supplier ends the immediate evacuation phase; it does not automatically authorize appliance use. Ask what equipment or supply was isolated, what condition was found, who may restore service and what documentation or repairs are required. Do not relight, reconnect or reset equipment on your own. If contractor work is directed, provide the responder's information and identify the affected appliance or line. A qualified assessment may include inspection and testing appropriate to the system, followed by repair and controlled return to service. Platinum Gas may be contacted for a non-emergency gas-line repair assessment only after the scene is safe and only if the required work fits its confirmed scope.
Prevent excavation damage before work starts
Before any fence, deck, pool, landscape, outdoor kitchen or other excavation, the excavator must submit the required Ontario One Call request and wait for responses. Homeowners should also understand that privately owned services, including some lines from a house to a pool heater or barbecue, may need a separate private locate. Locate markings and instructions must be respected, and a changed dig area requires renewed review. If a line or coating is struck, stop work and report it even when there is no strong odour. Do not cover the damage or attempt a temporary repair. If gas may be escaping, clear the area, move a safe distance away, call 911 and Enbridge Gas, and keep ignition sources away.
Use qualified installation and keep appliance context visible
TSSA states that registered fuels contractors are the businesses authorized to perform fuels-related work in Ontario and that they are responsible for using appropriate certificate holders. Verify the business through the public TSSA register rather than relying on a badge or unsupported claim. Keep appliance manuals and service records, do not conceal shutoffs or service access, and tell contractors about past line changes. Have fuel-burning equipment inspected and maintained on an appropriate schedule for the appliance and installation. Keep exterior vents and the gas meter clear without striking, heating or chipping at them. These steps reduce avoidable risk, but no maintenance plan changes the response to a suspected leak: leave first and call from a safe distance.
Make an emergency plan before anyone smells gas
Save the Enbridge Gas emergency number, 1-866-763-5427, and the propane supplier emergency number where applicable. Ensure household members know that emergency calls are made only after leaving the area. Choose an outdoor meeting point away from the home, gas meter, propane storage, driveway and likely emergency access. Explain that switches, phones, flames, tools and vehicles stay untouched near a suspected release. Include children, visitors, tenants and anyone who may need mobility assistance in the plan. Keep current address information readily available. A plan is useful because it removes the temptation to investigate, collect items or debate the seriousness of an odour while still inside.
Questions we hear
Frequently asked questions
Leave immediately. Once you are a safe distance away, call 911 and Enbridge Gas at 1-866-763-5427. Do not use switches, electronics, flames, appliances, tools, vehicles or motors near the suspected leak, and do not re-enter until the utility or emergency responders clear the area.
No. Do not delay evacuation or operate equipment near a suspected leak. Leave the area, call from a safe distance and follow the directions of 911 and the fuel supplier. They will decide how the system should be isolated and when entry is safe.
No. Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odourless poisonous gas produced by incomplete combustion; a natural gas leak involves escaping fuel gas. If a CO alarm sounds, Ontario guidance says to get everyone outside immediately and call 911 from outside.
Only after emergency responders, Enbridge Gas or the propane supplier has declared the area safe. Share what was isolated, what instructions were given and what work was requested. We can then determine whether the non-emergency follow-up fits our confirmed service scope.
References
Sources and further reading
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