Explosion at B.C. Encana fracking water facility injures worker
'No environmental damage and no risk to the public.'
An explosion at an Encana facility that produces water for fracking has injured one worker and shut down the plant near Dawson Creek.
Encana's Water Resource Hub purifies aquifer water considered too saline for human or animal use, so it can be used for hydraulic fracturing at Encana's gas wells
RCMP have now taken control of the facility.
B.C.'s energy regulator and a WorksafeBC fatal and serious injury officer are at the scene investigating.
"We're aware of an injury, but for privacy issues, we can't give you any more information than that," said Trish Knight Chernecki, senior manager for media relations at WorksafeBC.
I'm out at Encana's water resource hub, where there appears to have been an incident. RCMP, OGC, paramedics on scene <a href="https://t.co/Bl3wDjsYK7">pic.twitter.com/Bl3wDjsYK7</a>
—@jonnywakefieldNo environmental damage and no risk to public
B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission said the explosion caused no environmental damage, and there was no risk to the public although it did cause emergency responders to converge on the facility Monday morning.
Local residents were also notified, said Phil Rygg, director of communications for the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission.
Encana spokesperson Doug McIntyre said the facility has been "secured and [we] are beginning our work to determine the cause."