Prince George, B.C. – The investigation into the series of explosions that rocked the Babine Forest Products mill outside Burns Lake is going to be lengthy and very painstaking. That from North District RCMP Media Relations Officer Const. Lesley Smith, who travelled to Burns Lake Saturday night to provide on-site information about the disaster.

Const. Smith says the RCMP’s Regional General Investigative Section is in charge of the investigation at this time. The 2-member team on hand is headed up by Staff-Sergeant Geoff Parks. She says any fire is investigated as criminal until it is determined otherwise, and that is the case here. After that determination is made the investigation is turned over to another agency, such as the Coroner’s Office. Two employees remain missing, and although Const. Smith won’t say they are presumed dead, she does say they were last seen in the mill at the time of a massive fire and investigators will be searching for remains once they can gain access to the site. Smith says that’s a problem right now because, while much of the sawmill was demolished in the explosions Friday night, some walls and other parts of the structure are still partially upright and could collapse. So the physical investigation of the site won’t begin today, in fact it won’t start at all until a structural engineer deems it safe to enter the site. Const. Smith says in the meantime the police investigators will be interviewing all employees who were at the mill Friday plus any other witnesses. She says that will take time to complete. Once access to the site is gained, a meticulous search will be conducted to determine what caused the disaster.

Const. Smith says GIS is receiving assistance from Forensic I.D. and WorkSafeBC.   Heavy duty and on-site equipment will also be used to sift through the large field of debris. Smith stresses that this investigation is going to take quite some time due to the magnitude of the event.

The mills’ owner, Hampton Affiliates of Portland, Oregon had representatives at a community meeting in Burns Lake Saturday night. The company’s Ceo, Steve Zika, says it’s tough to peg an exact amount of damage but believes the loss is in the vicinity of 100-million-dollars. 

Const. Smith says the RCMP is not releasing the names of the missing and injured at this time. Northern Health says this morning that there has been no change in the status of the workers injured in the mill explosions and fire. Seven people are being treated at University Hospital in Prince George, 3 are in the VGH burn unit, 2 in Edmonton, one in Victoria and one in Vanderhoof. Northern Health, Carrier Sekani Family Services and Lakes District Community Services are all providing grief counseling as the community of Burns Lake tries to deal with the enormous tragedy.