An investigation into a gas explosion that rocked the town of Canmore has led to a slew of charges being laid against several contractors and two individuals under Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act.
On June 26, 2015, a contractor excavating at the site of a new development struck a gas line.
It’s believed leaking gas led to an explosion that destroyed one home and damaged several others. About 40 people were injured in the blast which shocked many in the town.
WATCH from June 2015: A massive gas explosion destroyed a Canmore home and damaged dozens more and sent several people to hospital. Jayme Doll reports.
The house where the explosion happened was empty at the time of the blast, however many streets in the area were evacuated and people were told to stay away from the area as crews worked to put out spot fires.
OHS laid charges in June, 2017 against APM construction Service, Ground Zero Grading as well as Jerry Arbeau and Andrew Pacaud.
The contractor APM Construction Service Inc. is facing seven charges including; failing to ensure health and safety of a worker, failing to eliminate or control a hazard and failure to failure to ensure only workers competent in correcting the hazardous condition, and the minimum number necessary to correct the condition, were exposed to the hazard.
Ground Zero Grading Inc. has been charged with six health and safety offences including; failure to ensure workers were aware of markers for concrete-embedded facilities, failing to eliminate or control a hazard and failing to ensure that the buried facility had been exposed to sight by hand-digging or a non-destructive technique before digging began.
Both Jerry Arbeau and Andrew Pacaud have been charged with failing to protect the health and safety of workers on scene while a worker was working.
WATCH from June 2015: There has been an explosion in Canmore that has sent one person to hospital in stable condition. Paul Haysom reports.
Comments