Investigation to focus on how propane cylinders and tanks were stored and handled
Manitoba’s Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) branch has halted certain operations at a Prairie Propane facility in Ste. Genevieve following an explosion that injured three employees late last month, according to a report.
A provincial spokesperson said WSH inspectors have issued two stop‑work orders and one improvement order affecting service and maintenance activities at the site, as well as the use of a forklift at the propane distribution facility. The orders will remain in place until the employer can demonstrate compliance and address identified hazards.
“WSH is continuing to investigate,” the spokesperson told CTV News.
Details of the incident
The regulatory action follows a Jan. 29 blast that prompted a significant emergency response in the Rural Municipality of Taché. Firefighters were dispatched at around 3:30 p.m. after a call about an explosion with injuries at the Prairie Propane location, according to the report.
When crews arrived, they found a structure on fire that contained a substantial number of propane cylinders. Fire officials told CTV News the burning building held roughly 100 propane tanks, while three large tanks and an estimated 250 smaller cylinders were positioned around the outside of the structure. The size and configuration of the fuel inventory raised concerns about the risk of further explosions or rapid fire spread as emergency personnel worked to secure the area.
Two injured workers were transported from the facility to Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre — one by STARS Air Ambulance and the other by ground ambulance — according to earlier reporting by CTV News. A third worker was treated on scene and released.
RCMP said all three individuals sustained non‑life‑threatening injuries. A spokesperson for Shared Health told CTV News the patient flown by STARS was discharged from hospital later the same day.
Outside the structure, there were an additional two to three bulk tanks and about 250 more cylinders, significantly increasing the complexity and risk of the response, deputy fire chief Jason Kroeker said, according to a CBC report.
More than 2,000 tanks were also stored elsewhere on the property, according to the Winnipeg Free Press.
Focus of workplace safety investigation
The Manitoba government has since confirmed that all three injured people were employees of the Prairie Propane facility. The province also said, citing an RCMP investigation, that the explosion originated in a gas cylinder.
In response, WSH has directed its orders at the facility’s service and maintenance work and at forklift operations, CTV News reported. While specific wording of the orders has not been released, measures of this kind typically require employers to suspend designated tasks, review and, if necessary, revise safe work procedures, verify worker training, and show that equipment is being used and maintained in line with regulatory and manufacturer requirements.
The ongoing WSH investigation is expected to examine how propane cylinders and tanks were stored and handled, what controls were in place for maintenance on gas systems and related equipment, and how powered industrial trucks were being operated in proximity to flammable gases. Investigators are also likely to assess whether existing risk assessments and safeguards were adequate for a site managing hundreds of propane containers.
COS has not seen any public statement from Prairie Propane about the incident.
