Date: November 5, 2018
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (CA)
Address: 18 MacDonald Avenue, B3B 1C5
Type: Potential Dust Explosion
Fuel: Fly Ash
Industry: Concrete Mixing and Supply
Equipment: Silo
Company: Quality Concrete
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmed
Company Description:
According to the company website, Quality Concrete Limited was formerly known as Dartmouth Ready Mix Limited. It opened for business in 1958 and now consists of 12 plants, 15 concrete pumps, and a fleet of over 100 mixer trucks. The company makes concrete available for a variety of applications, from backyard patios to airport runways.
Incident Description:
On November 5, 2018, the CBC reported an explosion at a concrete supplier in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
A loud blast was heard at around 3:20 p.m. It shook nearby buildings and coated parked vehicles with dust. People living and working in the vicinity said that the explosion sounded “like a bomb going off” and saw a giant cloud of what looked like smoke.
According to Halifax Fire officials, the roof blew off a fly ash silo and landed on a car in a nearby parking lot, crushing the hood. Three employees at the concrete supplier were treated for dust inhalation but did not require hospitalization. Neighborhood businesses were evacuated and the police closed off a portion of the road outside the facility.
The division fire chief said the air quality would be tested. Fly ash is a known carcinogen, but it was unclear how much of a threat it posed in this instance. CTV News reported that Halifax Water covered area catch basins to prevent fly ash from entering the stormwater system.
On November 6, Global News reported that a stop-work order had been issued to the concrete supplier while an investigation was being carried out by the Department of Labor.
Sources:
CBC
CTV News
Global News
