A pair of “unqualified workers” had disconnected a gas line using a risky manoeuvre before an explosion in Dawson Creek, B.C., earlier this year, according to a report on the incident. Technical Safety B.C. said the blast occurred while a damaged gas furnace was being removed from a home in the northeastern community on Jan. 8. “Two unsupervised labourers began preparing the furnace for removal while the gas supply remained on,” reads an incident overview. “During this work, the labourers disconnected the appliance shut-off valve and removed the gas supply riser, resulting in the uncontrolled release of natural gas into the immediate work area.” That gas was ignited by a pilot light on a nearby water heater, causing what investigators described as a small explosion and a fire at the property. Technical Safety B.C. said the workers suffered only minor injuries, including burns and singed hair on the top of one of their heads. After the explosion, one worker ran outside to shut off the gas supply at the meter then began using water to douse the flames inside, while the other helped the resident of the home evacuate, according to the report. Investigators found the workers had attempted a potentially dangerous practice known as “live capping,” which is not allowed under B.C.’s Natural Gas and Propane Installation Code. “It involves disconnecting and capping off a pressurized gas line in order to avoid shutting off the gas supply at an outside service valve,” the report reads. “Doing so carries a high risk of gas leakage before the line can be re-sealed.” The workers were employed by a gas-fitting company whose owner referred to them as “apprentices,” though investigators found no documentation confirming either was registered as such. As apprentices, they would have needed oversight by a certified journeyperson on the job. Since the explosion, the company—which is not named in the report—has developed new policy prohibiting gas work except by authorized, licensed personal under supervision, and is in the process of undergoing an internal review of company safety practices, according to Technical Safety B.C.
