WorkSafeBC report says fatal mill explosion preventable
Posted January 16, 2014 3:36 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BURNS LAKE (NEWS1130) – An investigation into a fire and explosion that killed two men at a northern British Columbia sawmill two years ago found it was preventable, and suggested four charges for violations of worker safety regulations.
WorkSafeBC released its report today into the fire and explosion at Babine Forest Products mill in Burns Lake after the Crown announced last week it would not pursue the charges in part due to a flawed investigation by the provincial agency.
The report says the investigation “generally applied” the principles set out by the National Fire Protection Association but the Crown said it left significant evidence inadmissible in court.
Despite Crown’s decision to not to pursue charges, Premier Christy Clark is having that reviewed.
“I consider this an urgent matter. I want you to make sure that every resource possible that you need is devoted to it so that we can get the answers and the facts that we need as quickly as we can.”
The January 2012 explosion and fire killed 45-year-old Robert Luggi and 42-year-old Carl Charlie, and injured 20 other workers.
“I consider this review an urgent review. If I had my way, I would have had the facts for you by today and have a sense of how we wanted to move forward, but if we want to this properly it will take a little bit more time. I hope not much more,” says Clark.
WorkSafeBC director of investigations Jeff Dolan says the agency is considering its next steps, including possible administrative penalties against Babine.
Investigators found the company knew it had an inadequate dust collection system — even after an explosion and fire almost a year earlier — and did not adequately supervise clean-up and maintenance staff.
