WATCH: Man killed in tanker explosion near Red Deer, Alberta
1 dead after tanker trailer explodes near Red Deer, Alberta Occupational Health and Safety has launched an investigation by CBC News, November 3, 2016
A 35-year-old man is dead after a tanker trailer exploded Thursday in the Burnt Lake Industrial Park, northwest of Red Deer’s city limits. (Rob Kellough/Twitter)
A 35-year-old man is dead after a tanker trailer exploded at an industrial park just outside Red Deer.
The explosion happened at 1:40 p.m. Thursday in the Burnt Lake Industrial Park, northwest of Red Deer’s city limits.
”A single tanker trailer exploded, destroying the tanker, causing minimal damage to surrounding buildings and scattering debris in a radius of approximately one block,” Blackfalds RCMP said in a press release.
The explosion happened at J. Moore Enterprises.
RCMP say they have notified relatives of the man who was killed and will not be identifying him. There were no other injuries.
Alberta Occupational Health and Safety officials have launched an investigation. [Emphasis added]
OHS, RCMP on scene of explosion at industrial park near Red Deer by Julia Parrish, November 3, 2016, CTV Edmonton
Police in central Alberta said investigators were on the scene of a tanker explosion that left one dead Thursday afternoon, at an industrial park north of Red Deer. Blackfalds RCMP said officers were first called to J Moore Enterprises at the Burnt Lake Industrial Park at about 1:40 p.m. Thursday, after an explosion was reported. In the hours that followed, RCMP said it was confirmed that a 35-year-old man was killed, no one else was injured.
Police said a single tanker trailer exploded, the tanker was destroyed. Surrounding buildings sustained minimal damage, but debris was scattered in a radius of about one block.
Investigators with Occupational Health and Safety were on the scene Thursday afternoon, and had taken over the investigation. Late Thursday afternoon, it wasn’t clear exactly what prompted the explosion.
RCMP said next of kin had been notified. The identity of the deceased will not be released. [Emphasis added]
Man killed in tanker explosion near Red Deer, Alberta by Emily Mertz, November 3, 2016, Global News
A fatal explosion at Burnt Lake Industrial Park, Nov. 3, 2016.
A 35-year-old man was killed by an explosion while working in an industrial park on the northwest edge of Red Deer Thursday afternoon.
Blackfalds RCMP said it happened at around 1:40 p.m. at the Burnt Lake Industrial Park at J Moore Enterprises.
A single tanker exploded, RCMP said, destroying the tanker and killing the man.
“At approximately 2 p.m. this afternoon, a worker was checking to determine if a large bulk tanker had been cleaned and apparently, it was at that point, the tanker exploded and the worker was killed,” Andrew Hanon with Alberta Labour said.
Nobody else was injured.
The explosion also caused some damage to surrounding buildings and scattered debris across a one-block radius.
Red Deer RCMP said there was only one explosion, which was felt by people in Red Deer.
Christine Fitzsimons works in an office she estimates is about 100 metres north of the site of the explosion. She told Global News she felt a powerful blast while sitting at her desk.
“And then just this huge boom. I couldn’t even comprehend what had just happened,” Fitzsimons said. “I thought my car exploded outside or something hit our building but at the same time, I saw this red flash and it felt like I’d been slapped.
“The windows of the building shook so hard you could actually see them move.”
Fitzsimons said her building was not evacuated but when asked how she felt about going back to work on Friday, she said it would be on her mind.
“It’s a concern anytime you work in an industrial area, you know, there’s equipment and chemicals around,” she said. “It’s always a concern but it just reminds us to always have a safety plan.”
Red Deer County Fire and Traffic members diverted traffic while the scene was contained and made sure the fire was put out.
Occupational Health and Safety is also on scene.
The man’s family has been notified. RCMP did not release his name.
Red Deer is about 150 kilometres south of Edmonton. [Emphasis added]