Eastway Tank site released as blast investigation continues
Damaged truck photographed on site not a cause of explosion: investigator
The site of the fatal Eastway Tank explosion has been released by investigators two months later, though more clean-up is planned as spring approaches.
The Jan. 13 explosion and fire at Eastway Tank Pump & Meter Ltd, which builds and services tanker trucks carrying a variety of fuels, became Ottawa's worst industrial incident in decades.
It left six Eastway Tank employees dead: Rick Bastien, Etienne Mabiala, Danny Beale, Kayla Ferguson and Russell McLellan died at the scene, while Matt Kearney succumbed to his injuries in hospital the next day.
A seventh worker was taken to hospital in Toronto and later moved to a rehabilitation centre for people recovering from life-changing injuries.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is one of several agencies investigating the cause and circumstances of the blaze. A spokesperson for the office said last week the Merivale Road site had been released to its owner.
The land is owned by Brian Greene Realty Limited, named after the father of current Eastway Tank owner Neil Greene.
"I cannot confirm with absolute certainty that the complex is considered destroyed or unusable, but it may be a likely scenario," the spokesperson for the Office of the Fire Marshal said.
Neil Greene could not be reached for comment about Eastway Tank's future operations.
WATCH | An aerial view of the site:
Some former employees have alleged a history of past safety lapses at Eastway Tank prior to the Jan. 13 blast.
Ontario's Ministry of Labour said it found a safety issue at Eastway Tank early in the investigation, but the company complied with an order to remedy it. The ministry declined to specify what the issue was, citing the integrity of the investigation.
No further orders have been issued against Eastway Tank, the ministry added in its more recent update last week.
Jason McDaniel, the editor of Bulk Transporter, an American publication covering companies involved in liquid and dry bulk logistics, said safety is a key focus of the industry.
"Even cleaning out tank trailers is dangerous if the right safety precautions aren't taken," he said.
"So an incident like this, I think, would make it very difficult for tank truck manufacturers and operators to continue doing business with them, especially if the investigation reveals some sort of safety negligence on the company's part."
Photos show damaged tanker truck
The Office of the Fire Marshal has also commented on footage taken of the aftermath of the blast.
Drone footage taken of the site one day after the explosion showed what appeared to be two tanker trucks in Eastway Tank's production area.
The tanker in the rear appeared to have a large hole in it.
CBC News then photographed a damaged truck in a different part of the site several days later.
The Office of the Fire Marshal spokesperson said the photographed truck was eventually removed from the site.
"[We] confirm that the damage to the truck was collateral damage as a result of the event and not a cause of the explosion," they added.
More cleanup planned
The provincial Ministry of Environment is also in the mix.
A spokesperson said environmental consultants are co-ordinating clean-up work at the site on behalf of Eastway Tank.
"The ministry will continue to oversee the clean-up … until the environmental impacts from the fire are fully addressed," the spokesperson said.
Plans are underway to remove fire-damaged debris from the site in the coming weeks, while an evaluation of surface soils will happen as the spring melt progresses, they added.
Flare stack issue found in 2014
The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), Ontario's independent safety regulator for fuels, is assisting investigators.
CBC News asked the TSSA for information on its interactions with Eastway Tank since 2013.
In December 2014, a member of the public complained about flaring taking place at the business, according to the TSSA.
The authority inspected the site and found Eastway Tank was using a flare stack that was not approved for use in Ontario and that the person using it was not certified to handle propane or operate a flare stack. The company was ordered to stop using the stack for burning off unwanted gas.
Eastway Tank then successfully applied for approval of a new flare stack in 2018 following an inspection by TSSA.
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With files from Francis Ferland, Kate Porter, Alistair Steele and Shaamini Yogaretnam