Crown To Reveal Decision on Lakeland Explosion
EXCLUSIVE
Prince George, B.C.- 250News has learned families and workers impacted by the deadly explosion at the Lakeland Mill nearly 2 years ago, have been called to a meeting with Crown Counsel on Monday in Prince George.
The Lakeland sawmill was destroyed in an explosion and fire on April 23 that tragically claimed the lives of Alan Little and Glenn Roche, two valued Lakeland employees. Another 22 employees were injured in the incident.
It is expected Crown will advise if they plan to proceed with criminal charges.
In February, the Globe and Mail was reporting that WorkSafe BC had recommended regulatory charges against Lakeland, but whether those regulatory charges will be laid, is not known at this point.
Earlier this year, Crown announced it would not proceed with charges against Hampton Affiliates, the owners of the Babine Forest Product mill which exploded just three months before the Lakeland tragedy. Two workers died, many others were injured in that tragedy. The Crown said criminal charges could not be pursued because of issues with how the investigation was handled.
While criminal charges were not laid in the Babine case, WorkSafe BC did levy $1 million dollars in administrative fines and claims costs against Babine.
In the wake of the botched Babine investigation, Premier Christy Clark announced an action plan to determine what went wrong at WorkSafeBC, whether other investigations have been impacted, and to fix the problems.
Premier Clark has been under pressure to call a public inquiry into the Babine tragedy, but she has said no. A Coroner’s inquest into that deadly explosion will take place, and it is likely to start this fall.
The Lakeland mill is being rebuilt and is expected to be in production this summer.
Comments
This fire and explosion happened months after the Babine explosion. The employer was warned by the fire inspector the Mill Crew and others about the dust and waste everywhere. Company wanted to complete construction that was the priority. In the end two more employees dead and 20 injured some will never return to work so Crown will again sit on their ass and do little, just hope I am wrong.
WorkSafe botched the Babine investigation, and used the same procedures for the LakeLand investigation. So again there is no reason to expect any different outcome in this case.
Whoever was in charge of the WorkSafe investigation will be given a temporary slap on the wrist, then a large promotion, for keeping it out of the courts.
Wow, did Christie light the match at Babine or Lakelands. Shouldn’t the target be on Worksafe BC, not her. The media is making it way too easy for it to be swept under the rug.
Who mandated the mills cut dead and dry pine?
Comments for this article are closed.