Ottawa, Ontario – A tentative plea deal has been reached in the case of Eastway Tank and its owner, following charges related to health and safety acts after a workplace explosion claimed the lives of six employees two years ago. David McCaskill, a lawyer with the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, confirmed that all trial dates have been vacated as of Friday.
The explosion occurred at the main shop of the Merivale Road company, leaving six individuals dead and triggering a massive fire that took several hours to contain. The incident, which took place on January 13, 2022, was described as one of the worst workplace accidents in Ontario in the past 50 years.
Charges were brought forth against Eastway Tank and its owner under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). While these charges are not criminal in nature, individuals can face imprisonment for up to a year and fines of up to $100,000. Corporations can also be fined up to $1.5 million under the OHSA.
The provincial charges alleged that Eastway and its owner failed to ensure that a “wet test” conducted on site did not produce explosive vapors and neglected to carry out the process in an area free of potential ignition sources. Wet tests are commonly used in the truck-services industry to assess fuel tanks and hoses for leaks.
Additionally, it was alleged that reasonable precautions were not taken in the workplace, and employees were not adequately instructed on safe fuel storage and handling, as mandated by Transport Canada regulations. Investigation by Ottawa police is ongoing to determine if there was any criminal negligence on the part of the company.
Former employees raised concerns about the company’s safety practices, with some indicating that they had reservations about the safety standards maintained by Eastway. The tragic incident claimed the lives of six employees, including a service supervisor, electrician, welder, plant manager, mechanic, and welder. One worker who was rescued from the fire sustained serious burns.
Eastway Tank specialized in building, refurbishing, and servicing fuel and water tanker trucks, involving tasks such as welding, sheet metalwork, painting, electrical work, and handling flammable liquids. The plea deal is expected to be finalized in court on April 5, following a closed-court session where the agreement was discussed.