Sunrise found guilty in 2008 explosion

Blast killed one and forced residents to flee

Sunrise Propane was found guilty of violating nine environmental and labour regulations in connection with the massive explosion on Aug. 10, 2008, that killed one of the company’s employees and rained debris on homes in the surrounding downsview neighbourhood.

Madame Justice Leslie Chapin of the Ontario Court of Justice found Sunrise Propane energy Group Inc. guilty of two offences related to failure to provide a safe workplace, and seven counts related to compliance with Ontario’s environmental Protection Act.

Two Sunrise directors, Shay Ben-Moshe and Valerie Belahov, are guilty of being directors of a corporation which “failed to take all reasonable care to prevent the corporation from contravening a provincial officer’s order” the judge said in her 135-page ruling.

The company was cleared on one count of failing to comply with a provincial order.

The blast in the Keele and Wilson area created a huge fireball at 4 a.m. and forced thousands of residents from their homes.

Ontario government lawyers alleged negligence in environmental protection and the training of the victim.

Parminder Saini was “incinerated” when propane vapours ignited during a risky truck-to-truck transfer, while court heard co-worker Felipe de Leon fled and escaped the explosion.

defence lawyer Leo Adler argued that Mr. Saini did receive training and that the

Sunrise and its owners face millions of dollars in fines

onus is on the deceased and Mr. de Leon.

Sunrise and its owners face millions of dollars in fines.

Leo Adler, the lawyer for Sunrise, told reporters on the steps of Old City Hall that he is disappointed with the judge’s verdict.

“Nothing can bring back the young man who died,” Mr. Adler said, referring to Mr. Saini, who was 24 at the time of his death. “Our thoughts will always be with the family of the young man who died. It was a confluence of factors that were totally unforeseeable.”

Mr. Adler stressed that all the charges were administrative ones that carry financial penalties. despite a lengthy police investigation, police did not lay any criminal charges in the 2008 explosion.

“My client knew this young man,” Mr. Adler added. “He believed the worker to be well-trained. My client cried when he heard that [Singh Saini] had died.”

Mr. Adler said he is particularly disappointed that Justice Chapin found his clients guilty in relation to lack of training.

“My understanding from the fire marshal’s report was that it was a hose that was defective,” he said.

Mr. Adler said his client reserves the right to appeal the verdict.