While one set of investigators has ruled the Stittco Energy explosion an accident, another is examining whether health and safety rules were followed in the lead-up to the blast.
Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) department has been conducting interviews and collecting data and documents related to the May 25 explosion that rocked Flin Flon, a department spokesperson said.
The goal is to determine whether “non-compliance with safety and health requirements may have contributed to the incident having occurred,” the spokesperson told The Reminder.
The WSH investigation was ongoing as of press time. The spokesperson could not comment on the specifics of the probe or any findings.
“The investigation is a priority for WSH and is being completed as quickly and thoroughly as possible,” the spokesperson added.
Manitoba’s Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) has already determined that the explosion occurred when a worker’s torch ignited propane that had been unknowingly leaking from a propane truck inside a mechanical shop. The shop was blown to pieces, while the worker suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
While the WSH investigation will determine whether safety rules were followed, the WSH spokesperson said the OFC probe was meant to find a cause and “ensure measures are put in place to ensure a similar explosion does not occur in the future.”
The explosion occurred at about 7:30 am on May 25. It was heard and felt from blocks away, with many residents saying their first thought was that a vehicle had rammed into their home.
