City of Ottawa, police services board charged after 2014 training explosion

The Ministry of Labour has laid a total of 10 charges against the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Police Services Board after a training exercise explosion one year ago injured two police officers and three paramedics.

The explosion happened June 18, 2014 during a joint-force entry exercise into an abandoned home in Kanata, west Ottawa suburb. The training exercise involved Ottawa police officers, paramedics and RCMP officers.

Two Ottawa police officers and a paramedic suffered minor injuries. Two paramedics — Craig MacInnes and Reid Purdy — suffered serious injuries.

All 10 charges fall under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The city and police services board have each been charged with:

• Two counts of failing to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker at a workplace at 886 and 910 March Rd., and elsewhere in the city.
  • Specifically, the ministry alleges that the city and police services board failed to take the reasonable precaution of ensuring that an explosive entry device was not loaded with methanol anti-freeze solution or windshield washer fluid, or other flammable liquid, and detonated during a training exercise. The ministry also alleges that the city and board failed to take the reasonable precaution of ensuring that an explosive entry device was not loaded with fluid in a careless manner and detonated during a training exercise.
• One count of failing to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker at a workplace at 886 March Rd.
  • Specifically, the ministry alleges that the city and board failed to take the reasonable precaution of ensuring that paramedics were not in unsafe proximity to an explosive entry device during its detonation.
• Two counts of failing to acquaint a worker or a person in authority over a worker with any hazard in the work and in the handling, storage, use, disposal and transport of any article, device, equipment or a biological, chemical or physical agent at a workplace at 886 and 910 March Rd., and elsewhere in the city.
  • Specifically, the ministry alleges that the city and board failed to acquaint Ottawa police officers and paramedics with the hazards of thermal injury and death caused in the use of an explosive entry device loaded with methanol anti-freeze solution or windshield washer fluid, or other flammable liquid. The ministry also alleges that the city and board failed to acquaint paramedics with the hazards of thermal injury and death as a result of their unsafe proximity to an explosive entry device during a training exercise.

Letter criticized training exercise supervisors

In the fall of 2014, officers in the Ottawa police tactical unit wrote a letter saying they lost confidence in the unit's acting staff sergeant and an acting superintendent after the explosion.

In the letter, dated Oct. 13, 2014, signed by "the constables of the Ottawa police tactical unit" and sent to the Ontario Special Investigations Unit, officers alleged Acting police Staff Sgt. Martin Rukavina and Ottawa Paramedic Service supervisor Craig MacInnes "were insistent and [adamant] that everyone should be closer" to the entry points and explosives in the training exercise.

The letter alleged that two days before the explosion, Sgt. Michael Belanger and Sgt. Michael Salinas "directly" approached Rukavina and MacInnes with "serious concerns over the proximity of both tactical officers and paramedics to the entry points and explosive charges."

The letter went on to claim Rukavina then "ordered" personnel closer to the explosives and MacInnes had influenced Rukavina to do so.

In January, police sources told CBC News Rukavina had been transferred out of the tactical unit to patrol services.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

The lawyer for the City of Ottawa, Rick O'Connor, sent a memo to councillors on Thursday notifying them about the charges. O'Connor said the city would not comment on the charges specifically.

"The city places primary importance on ensuring the health and safety of its employees," O'Connor wrote. "The city actively promotes continuous improvement in the area of occupational health and safety, including training and worksite inspections."

The first court appearance for the Ministry of Labour charges is scheduled for July 30.

The ministry had been investigating the explosion along with the Ottawa police Professional Standards Section and the SIU.