By Bird Bouchard
A year after an explosion at Centre de Valorisation des Aliments (CVA) left five injured, an investigation by la Communciation des normes, de léquité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) confirms several deficiencies related to propane caused the explosion.
CNESST inspector Christian Roy provided a presentation identifying three causes that explain the accident.
According to the CNESST investigation, the March 23, 2022 explosion occurred following a propane leak due to the accidental opening of an unobstructed valve in the interior distribution line of the kitchen.
“The detection of propane as well as the information and training of people working in the establishment on the inherent risk to this gas were lacking,” said Roy, who added the installation, removal and inspection of kitchen equipment powered by propane were deficient.
Roy said on the day of the explosion, around 5:30 a.m., at their arrival in the establishment, certain people working for various tenants smelled a suspicious odour in the kitchen, similar to rotten eggs.
