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Town Pulling Together to Support Injured Refinery Workers Says Come By Chance Mayor
The mayor of Come By Chance says the town is pulling together to support the eight workers injured in Friday’s refinery fire, as well as their families.
Five of the eight employees had to be airlifted to the Health Sciences Centre in St. John’s due to the severity of their injuries. The others were being treated at the hospital in Clarenville.
The incident occurred just after 4:00 p.m. Friday when the eight were caught in what some workers have described as a flash fire, or backdraft, but it’s not yet clear what caused it.
It also remains to be seen how much damage was caused to the refinery itself, although Mayor Carol Molloy says that places a distant second in terms of immediate concern.
She says the focus right now is 100 per cent on the recovery and well-being of the injured workers, their co-workers, and their families.
The incident brings to mind the 1998 refinery fire that killed two workers and left another injured.
It also comes at a time of renewed optimism for the half-century-old facility, which is in the process of transitioning to a producer of diesel and renewable aviation fuels.
New owner Braya Renewable Fuels says it’s co-operating with investigations into the incident, and has also offered the workers and town any support it needs.
5 of 8 workers injured in N.L. oil refinery explosion airlifted for care: police
Local RCMP closed a Sobeys grocery store parking lot to traffic around 8 p.m. Friday so two emergency aircraft could land and pick up the victims for transport to St. John’s.
The cause of Friday’s explosion and subsequent fire at the refinery 150 kilometres west of St. John’s is under investigation by police and the province’s Occupational Health and Safety division.
Jim Stump, president of refining with refinery owner Braya Renewable Fuels, issued a statement on Saturday saying his team is on-site and cooperating with the investigation to ensure it can “prevent incidents like this from happening.”
The refinery, which is a main source of employment in the area, was once an oil-producing plant that has been going through the process of conversion to a renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel operation. A company spokesperson previously said that conversion effort was still in the works at the time of the blast.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2022.
United Brotherhood of Carpenters Holds Employee Information, Member Support Session for Come By Chance Workers
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters is holding an employee information and member support session for workers in Come By Chance in the wake of Friday’s flash fire that sent eight people to hospital.
All members and their families affected by the incident are encouraged to drop by the union hall at 89 McNamara Drive in Paradise starting at 1:00 p.m. today.
Members are encouraged to ask questions and information will be provided for those seeking supportive counselling.
The Atlantic Canada Regional Council is also hosting a province-wide zoom meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the United Steelworkers union has emergency response teams stationed on-site at the Come By Chance Refinery. Representative with the union Ron Thomas says the offices are open to all workers and family members who need someone to talk to about the incident.
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