Fire marshal, ministry investigate explosion death

Posner Metals was briefly evacuated Monday after an investigator probing last week’s fatal explosion reported “vapour” rising from a barrel.

Members of the Hamilton Fire Department’s hazardous materials response team returned to the Beach Road scrapyard area Monday afternoon after a provincial Ministry of Labour inspector reported a steaming drum, said Deputy Chief Dan Milovanovic.

Police briefly evacuated the area and firefighters inspected all barrels in the vicinity, but they did not find “enough material to cause concern,” said Milovanovic, who added the vapour had dissipated by the time his crew arrived.

Investigators from both the ministry and the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal continue to probe an explosion that claimed the life of a man in his 40s last Friday at the metal recycler in the northeast end.

The victim has not been publicly identified by officials, but scrapyard owner Aaron Posner said Monday he was not an employee of Posner Metals.

Posner said he could not talk publicly about what happened yet because he did not want to interfere with investigations. He said he hoped to post a statement later that “explains what we can explain.”

The Ministry of Labour confirmed two of its investigators are probing the explosion, which happened late Friday morning. A spokesperson said the ministry was notified that “two individuals were unloading canisters from a vehicle resulting in an explosion.” An update on the investigation was not available Monday.

Police are not involved in the fatal explosion investigation, but officers helped evacuate Posner Metals Monday after firefighters returned to the scene.

An autopsy was slated to be performed on the victim at the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto.