Burns Lake, B.C.- After 12 weeks of combing through the debris and collecting evidence at the  Babine  Forest Products Sawmill site, WorkSafeBC has wrapped up its first phase of the investigation into the  double fatal fire of January 20th.  The mill site will be released to  Hampton Affiliates tomorrow.

That doesn’t mean the investigation is over, Jeff Dolan, Director of Investigations for WorkSafeBC says the  investigation  will  continue but the focus  will shift “Our focus now will be on the testing and analysis of the evidence we gathered over the past 12 weeks.”  This phase  could take several months to complete.

WorkSafeBC has had an investigative team at the mill since the incident, and examined the complex and hazardous site for ignition and fuel sources that could have caused the explosion.

In recent weeks, cranes and other heavy equipment were brought in to selectively remove debris and allow access to areas of interest within the site.  WorkSafe BC  says all  areas of interest have been fully examined and all evidence has been removed for further detailed analysis and lab testing to identify the cause of the  explosion.

More than 80 witnesses to the January 20th blast and fire have been interviewed.  Those witnesses include mill  workers and the  employer.

Once completed, WorkSafeBC will publicly release the findings of its investigation.