Several injured after explosion near Burns Lake B.C.
Posted Jan 22, 2012 6:50 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BURNS LAKE, B.C. – The economic future of a northern B-C community is in some doubt after an explosion and fire gutted its major industry.
The Babine sawmill in Burns Lake was destroyed Friday night, leaving the thousands of people it employed wondering where their next paycheque will come from. Nineteen people were hurt in the blast – some seriously – and two are missing and presumed dead.
Fire crews will be out in frigid weather today trying to pinpoint the cause of the blast. Some workers have said they smelled gas just before the explosion, but nothing relating to a possible cause has yet been confirmed.
John Ruffell, who’s worked at the plant for more than 30 years, says he doesn’t know what he’ll do next. Some workers are holding out hope the U-S company that owns the operation will rebuild the plant.
But Steve Zika, C-E-O of Hampton Affiliates, says with damage estimates ranging as high as 100 million dollars, he’s not sure if rebuilding is even possible.
