Union members demand public inquiry into sawmill explosions

VANCOUVER (Scrap Monster): The United Steelworkers Union has called for a public inquiry into the deadly explosions that took place in Babine Forest Products mill in Burns Lake and the Lakeland mill in Prince George in 2012. The separate explosions at the mills had killed four sawmill workers and had injured many.

According to members of USW, a public inquiry is being asked for because the investigations by the WorkSafe BC and inquest by the B.C’s Coroner’s Service have failed to find answers for what exactly led to the explosions and what could be done in to avoid occurrences of such incidents in future.

The campaign for public inquiry is being led by Adam Connell and Steven Hunt. They plan to visit every saw mill and small businesses in the region to raise signatures in support of the petition. Sources indicate that public support has been overwhelming so far. Earlier in March this year, United Steelworkers had expressed lack of confidence in the ongoing inquest and had withdrawn from the process.

The first explosion took place in January 2012 at Babibe Mill in Burns Lake which killed two employees- Robert Luggi Jr. and Carl Charlie and injured 19 workers. Three months later, another explosion at Lakeland Mills facility in Prince George killed two sawmill workers- Alan Little and Glenn Roche and injured 24 people.

According to USW members, the accumulation of wood dust had led to the explosions. The mill workers had complained about this to the management months before, but no necessary action was taken to clear the highly inflammable material out of the site.