Sask Energy off the hook for gas explosion in Nipawin

Saskatchewan Justice has stayed charges against SaskEnergy in a gas explosion in Nipawin that killed a father and son in 2008.

Brent and Jack Boxall were killed by the blast which was caused by a back hoe operator who struck a

SaskEnergy gas pipe riser located on a vacant lot.

The charges brought against the natural gas provider had to do with whether the company’s practice of marking gas risers complied with industry regulations.

“The crown looked at the charges and looked at the evidence it had available and made the decision to stay the charges on the basis that the crown couldn’t show that the standard that was required of SaskEnergy that they failed to meet that standard,” said prosecutor Mitchel Miller.

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We consulted with experts outside of Saskatchewan. They couldn’t say that SaskEnergy’s standard of marking the risers was deficient, he said.

SaskEnergy was pleased with the outcome.

‘It’s always been our view that SaskEnergy was complying with the legislation and with the established practice of dealing with line locations,” said Aaron Fox, lawyer for SaskEnergy.

SaskEnergy is always concerned when one of its lines gets hit and is interested at what can be done in the future to prevent it from happening on demolition sites, said Fox.

“There will be some discussion with Occupational Health and Safety, department of labor and the construction industry, who was actually involved in doing the demolition, about are there any protocols or best practices that could be put in place that might help prevent something like this from happening in the future.”

Meantime, charges against the back hoe operator, who struck the line, will proceed in April.

For more: Charges stayed against SaskEnergy

bbosker@rawlco.com