Photo: @steviegabc

Families were forced out of their homes by a natural gas explosion at a Steveston apartment complex Wednesday afternoon.

The blast may have been caused by maintenance work on gas fireplaces in the Nautica North complex on No. 2 Road. 

Everyone in the building was safely evacuated after the incident, which had caused a small fire.

Evacuated residents were also able to temporarily shelter in two buses supplied by TransLink.

Pictures posted on social media showed patio doors had been blown open by the explosion, and water was leaking from damaged pipes.

Four units were damaged, and those residents weren’t able to return home Wednesday night.