OTTAWA, Canada – Two years after the devastating explosion at Eastway Tank, Pump and Meter in Ottawa, the upcoming trial looms over the second anniversary of the tragic event. The explosion that occurred on January 13, 2022 took the lives of six workers at the south Ottawa tanker manufacturer.
Among those who perished in the blast were Rick Bastien, Etienne Mabiala, Danny Beale, Kayla Ferguson, Russell McLellan, and Matt Kearney, who passed away in the hospital the day after the explosion. As the community commemorates the anniversary, loved ones of the victims are still seeking closure and answers surrounding the circumstances of the tragic event.
Louise Martel, the fiancée of one of the victims, has been keeping the ashes of her partner, Rick Bastien, by her bedside since the tragedy. As the upcoming trial against Neil Greene, the owner of Eastway, approaches in March, Martel hopes to gain more insight into Bastien’s final moments. The trial is set to be a judge-only trial in Ottawa’s Ontario Court of Justice and charges have been laid against Greene and the company under the province’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The investigation into the blast by the Ottawa Police Service is ongoing, and there are still unanswered questions surrounding the events leading up to the tragedy. As the community reflects on the lives lost, loved ones and the public await the outcome of the trial and hope for a better understanding of the circumstances that led to the explosion.
As the second anniversary of the Eastway Tank explosion is marked, the community continues to mourn the loss of the six workers and seek justice for the tragic event. The upcoming trial will shed more light on the circumstances surrounding the explosion, offering hope for closure and accountability.