Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey delivered the following statement in the Manitoba legislature on Wednesday:
Madame Speaker, a propane explosion levelled a Stittco Energy building in Flin Flon this morning, injuring at least one person. Our thoughts are with those affected and their families as they deal with the injuries and the shock of this incident.
So far, the company has confirmed that one person was injured and is in the hospital. We are waiting for more details on who the injured is, whether it was more than one person, and how severe those injuries might be.
According to Flin Flon’s chief administrative officer Mark Kolt, as reported by CBC this morning, employees at the propane supply company Stittco Energy were doing repair work at 7:30, and they did not realize that apparently there was a propane leak.
The explosion knocked out power to parts of Flin Flon, including many homes. The city closed Third Avenue, which essentially cuts the city in half. Ruth Betts Community School temporarily cancelled classes as many students had no way to get through to get to school.
I expect that Stittco Energy and Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health will conduct thorough investigations that provide answers for those injured and their families, and a way forward to protect workers and the community.
It pains me to be talking in this house about another workplace accident so soon after the metal worker’s death that occurred May 5 in Winnipeg.
It is worth repeating that any time someone is injured in a workplace accident, it is an injury to all of us.
Our caucus will work to do its part to make sure the Manitoba government is doing everything it can to protect workers’ health and safety.
Madame Speaker, we extend our sympathy to everyone who has been affected by this accident. Our thoughts are with them and their families.
