Pat Stamp 'very upset and angry' over industrial fatality
CBC News | Posted: August 6, 2013 1:58 PM | Last Updated: August 6, 2013
Happy Valley-Goose Bay incident investigated by police, safety inspectors
As police and occupational health and safety officials investigate a fatal industrial accident in Labrador, a man whose life was turned upside down by a similar incident said he's furious with what he's learned.
Kristopher Tuff, 24, was killed on Saturday in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Two other men were injured.
The three were doing some welding inside the tank of a fuel truck owned by Woodward's Oil when an explosion occurred.
Pat Stamp, whose body was severely burned during a 2006 explosion aboard the MV Kometik tanker in Conception Bay, told CBC News that Saturday's incident should not have happened.
"Anger set in right away. I was very upset and angry," said Stamp.
"I never expected anything like this ever to happen again … It's hard to grasp it. You just say, why? How come?"
Since 2009, government has been tightening safety standards for work in enclosed spaces, and Stamp welcomed a recent upgrade in training.
But he said Saturday's incident raises disturbing questions.
"It obviously wasn't a safe place to be into," Stamp said from his home in St. Vincent's.
The owner of the welding company involved in the incident — Stafford's Welding of Conception Bay South — said there is nothing he can say at this point.
Group saddened by industrial death
Jackie Manuel, chief executive officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association, said she was disturbed by Saturday's incident as well.
"Any accident in and of itself is totally preventable," she said.
"So we're always surprised. I'm always disappointed when I hear about accidents like this. What was in place? I don't know."
A memorial service for Tuff will be held in Mount Pearl on Thursday morning.