Fatal Explosion and Fire in Service Station Hazard Alert

The incident occurred while the workers were installing a sump pump to remove ground water that had accumulated on the basement floor.

Investigations suggest that flammable liquid had accumulated in the basement over a period of time, either from petroleum spillage inside the garage, or petroleum-contaminated soil adjacent to the basement floor.

The spark that ignited the vaporized flammable liquid may have originated from either the sump pump that was being installed, or a water pump already located in the basement area.

Recommended Preventive Action

• If possible, basements and/or crawl spaces in garages should be filled in to eliminate a potential accumulation of flammable liquid.
• Where flammable liquid may accumulate, the employer should:

  a)	Use only electrical equipment that is designed to be explosion-proof.
  b)	Install an explosion-proof ventilation system to keep vaporized flammable liquid well below the explosion level.
  c)	Install a continuous-monitoring device to alert workers of the presence of flammable vapours.

• All employees must be trained to recognize the hazards associated with the handling, storage and use of flammable liquids.