The families of Babine Forest Products (BFP) of Burns Lake, BC and Lakeland Mill of Prince George, BC are joining forces demanding an Independent Public Inquiry into two sawmill explosions that took place in Northern British Columbia.

On January 20, 2012, the Babine Forest Products sawmill outside of Burns Lake, BC exploded and caused the deaths of Carl Charlie and Robert F. Luggi Jr and also injured 20 workers and 9 of those workers were seriously injured.

On April 23, 2012, the Lakeland Sawmill in Prince George, BC exploded and caused the deaths of Allan Little and Glenn Roche and also injured 22 workers and some of them seriously injured.

Several investigative agencies were involved after these explosions including:  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); the British Columbia Coroner’s Office; Worksafe BC; The BC Safety Authority and Insurance investigators on behalf of both companies.

The families were told they would not have access to any of these reports as they were being referred to the BC Criminal Justice Branch for ‘regulatory’ charges and NOT criminal charges.  Worksafe BC informed the families that the RCMP was responsible for pressing criminal charges.  The RCMP informed the families that they were not recommending criminal charges and turned the sawmill sites over to Worksafe BC.

Worksafe BC waited almost 2 years to give their reports to the BC Criminal Justice Branch recommending regulatory charges to both companies.  The BC Criminal Justice Branch – Crown Counsel announced decisions on January 10, 2014 and April 14, 2014 that they will NOT approve charges against BFP or Lakeland Mills.

Part of the reasons for not approving charges is that Worksafe BC compromised their investigation in both sawmill disasters.  Worksafe BC has only defended their investigative reports and justified them and have not apologized to the families.

These decisions of the Ministry of Justice has created a greater desire for the families of the BFP and Lakeland to seek closure, justice and the TRUTH! It has also left the families disillusioned and with a lack of faith, trust and confidence in Worksafe BC as a Crown Corporation and the Province of British Columbia.  The safety of workers everywhere in British Columbia is now in question.  To add further distress and outrage, the Worksafe BC reports released confirmed that these sawmill explosions were ‘preventable’ incidents.

The BC Coroner’s Office is scheduling a Coroner’s Inquest into the deaths of Carl Charlie, Robert F. Luggi Jr, Allan Little and Glenn Roche possibly for the Fall of 2014.  Lisa Lapointe, Chief Coroner has announced to the media, that this is the best venue for the families to receive their questions and concerns addressed.  A Coroner’s Inquest is limited to determining facts related to a particular death and is also restricted narrowly by the Coroner’s Act.  It is not designed to find fault to individuals involved in the incident causing death.  Recommendations can arise out of a coroner’s inquest and that is the extent of a Coroner’s Inquest.  It is very limited in scope as opposed to an Independent Public Inquiry.

The families have endured enough and demand an Independent Public Inquiry and demand the enforcement of Bill C-45 The Westray Law.  Thank you for your support of our families as we journey towards JUSTICE!