Nova Scotia man dies after being severely burned in Nexen oil plant explosion

Worker is 2nd to die in Jan. 15 blast

Image | Dave Williams

Caption: Dave Williams, 30, died in hospital after an explosion at the Nexen Long Lake project in the Alberta oilsands. (Dave Williams/Facebook)

A Nova Scotia man has died after he was badly burned in an explosion at the Nexen Long Lake facility in Fort McMurray.
Dave Williams, 30, died Monday in an Edmonton hospital where he was taken with severe burns after the Jan. 15 explosion.
Drew Foster, 52, was also killed in the blast.
Nexen released a statement confirming Williams's death.
"We wish to express our deepest condolences to the impacted families," the news release said. "We remain fully committed to continuing to support the families affected by this devastating tragedy."
The company said Williams and Foster were refitting valves on a compressor at the facility, which converts hydrocarbon into a lighter oil.
Williams, a journeyman millwright from Scotchtown, Cape Breton, suffered third-degree burns to 90 per cent of the front of his body. His cousin said the family was told that Williams dug himself out of the rubble after the explosion.

Image | Long Lake explosion, Friday, January 15, 2016

Caption: The view from a helicopter after the explosion (CBC)