During this past weekend, 16 homeowners in Wheatley were able to obtain temporary access to properties in the evacuation zone.
Officials say efforts are continuing to provide access for the remaining property owners and tenants.
Hydro poles and lines have now been removed near the site of the explosion to clear the way for the demolition work to begin.
The demolition contractor is currently on-site and is mobilizing equipment for the next stage of the process.
To ensure the safety of everyone involved, officials say temporary home access has been suspended while this work is in-process.
If there are any downtimes that occur, temporary home access appointments for residents will restart immediately.
As previously reported, the goal for the next phase of the investigation is to confirm the presence of a lateral pathway between APEC 1 and 2 and to verify there are no any other sources of gas in the area.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Muncipality of Chatham-Kent
Building excavation is taking place at 19 and 15 Erie Street N and 9 Talbot Trail West.
Excavations will follow at APEC 1 and 2 to identify any sub-surface infrastructure that could be acting as a lateral pathway and to confirm if another source of gas is present.
All work being performed on-site follows a comprehensive health and safety plan developed by expert engineering consultants.