Prince George, B.C. –  A contingent of WorkSafeBC officials is in Burns Lake to begin efforts on two fronts in the aftermath of Friday night’s explosion and fire at the Babine Forest Products sawmill, where the body of one of two missing employees was recovered earlier today.

WorkSafe will investigate the incident, itself, as well as process resulting claims.  Director of Media Relations, Donna Freeman, says, "We have prevention officers, we have investigation officers, we have an engineer, and we have claims staff in the region, but additional senior staff have been flown into Burns Lake to assist the injured workers and their families in every way we can help them through this difficult time."  In total there are between seven and nine officers in the community and approximately half a dozen claims staff.

Freeman says it’s impossible to speculate when the WorkSafeBC investigation might begin, she says the RCMP retain control and jurisdiction over the physical site.  "We also have to have access to parties – some of whom are currently in hospital, others who may not be able to speak to us yet." 

Once RCMP release the site, Freeman points out there will still be many challenges in terms of securing safe access to all areas of the mill.  But the WorkSafeBC spokesperson emphasizes, "The ‘investigations matters’ will not delay any kind of ‘claims matters’ – any worker who’s been injured can immediately submit a claim, or we will be going to hospitals, if we’re not already there, to assist them with that and all other parties who may have injury – they will be assisted immediately."

It will be some time before WorkSafeBC is able to offer any insight into the blast.  "We don’t release preliminary findings," says Freeman.  "We just don’t work that way – it takes months to gather information and evidence and the analysis is quite complex, so sometimes something may seem a certain way early on and it doesn’t turn out to be that way with further assessment."