Faulty heater responsible for carbon monoxide leak at Pine Grove: Ministry

With respect to the faulty heating unit, Busse indicated it will be replaced, and that carbon monoxide detectors have been installed within the unit to ensure it’s not an ongoing issue.

“It appears that this problem was isolated to that single unit. We don’t have any indication that this is a problem across the facility,” he said.

That being said Busses acknowledged there will be a thorough review into the use of carbon monoxide detectors at the facility.

According to an email sent to paNOW on Thursday from Prisoner advocate Sherri Maier with Beyond Prison Walls Canada, as many as 20 female inmates suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning in unit 3, and she claimed no correctional officers seemed to care until they found the women asleep.

“We don’t have any indications that those [claims] are accurate. Inmates came to staff the morning of Wednesday, March 30, and it was quickly found there were elevated level of carbon monoxide,” Busse said.

Within her email Maier also questioned why the public was not immediately made aware of the incident. Busse explained had the incident been as serious as what had been described on social media, the Ministry would have notified the public, but due to the actual circumstances surrounding the isolated incident, staff felt it could be handled internally.

“As this evolved it obviously has become necessary to discuss it,” he said.

Addressing online reports, Busse acknowledged it is frustrating when information gets out into the public related to an incident, and is not entirely factual.

“It gets a little hard to put the toothpaste back into the tube when inaccuracies like that do come out but we appreciate the opportunity to clarify things,” he said.

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) executive has also called on the [the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety] and the Pine Grove Correctional Centre to provide better health and safety for inmates and staff, and also immediately inspect and replace all aging equipment within the facility.

In a recent press release, the announced that their Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is currently investigating complaints from concerned family members.

“The families of these inmates and the FSIN are seriously concerned and deserve to know what is happening and why women are being taken to the hospital” says FSIN Vice Chief Heather Bear. “If our staff was not contacted about this potentially deadly situation, we would have never known, and we still don’t know for sure the seriousness of what took place. These women are human beings and were put at serious risk, which could have resulted in tragedy.”

The FSIN also reported that two inmates and one staff member were transported to hospital for oxygen therapy and were later released.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Faulty heater responsible for carbon monoxide leak at Pine Grove: Ministry

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