Inspections to increase after fire shuts down Cape Breton’s Donkin coal mine
Global News
No one was in the mine when the fire broke out on April 30, but the department has yet to say what caused the fire or where it happened.
A provincial safety official says there will be increased inspections at the Donkin coal mine in Cape Breton now that it has resumed operations after an underground fire prompted a stop-work order in April.
Gary O’Toole, executive director of the Labour Department’s safety branch, confirmed Friday that an investigation into the fire was almost complete, and he said inspectors found no ongoing or imminent risks after repairs were completed.
No one was in the mine when the fire broke out on April 30, but the department has yet to say what caused the fire or where it happened.
O’Toole said the safety branch could impose penalties or compliance orders once its investigation is completed next week.
“We will not hesitate to issue any compliance orders or stop-work orders … to address any imminent risks that we find or are reported to us,” he said.
As well, O’Toole said the department planned to bring in a third party to conduct a safety review, though he did not provide details.
“All systems that are in place for safety at the mine are functioning as they should,” he told a virtual news conference, adding that inspectors had taken a close look at coal dust controls, mine oversight, ventilation and lighting systems, emergency response and safety plans.
“The company has met all health and safety requirements …. This is one of the most regulated and most visited worksites that we have in Nova Scotia.”