B.C.’s chief coroner says inquest is best way to look into sawmill blast

VICTORIA – B.C.’s chief coroner says an inquest into the mill explosion in Burns Lake, B.C., two years ago is the best way to find answers about the tragedy.

Two people died and 19 others were hurt in the fire and subsequent explosion, which WorkSafeBC concluded was partially caused by an accumulation of wood dust.

Injured workers, the families of those killed, and the Opposition New Democrats have urged the provincial government to call a full public inquiry, saying that would provide answers to what happened.

However, chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says she’s confident that an inquest would best address how and why the explosion occurred and what can be done to prevent such incidents in the future.

Lapointe says the inquest will allow for a full accounting of the facts because the normal rules of evidence wouldn’t apply.

No date has been set for the two- to three-week inquest, although Lapointe says she’s hoping it will be this fall.