Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal's office, the Ministry of Labour, and Electrical Safety Authority have descended upon Kubota today to investigate an explosion and electrical fire that injured three workers on Thursday.
Orillia's deputy fire chief, Chris Ferry, says two people were checked at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital yesterday and were later released. A third person was kept overnight with "burn injuries."
In a media release, Orillia OPP media relations officer Derek Tilley says two individuals were electrocuted in the incident. Neither Tilley nor Ferry believe the injuries to be serious or life-threatening.
Ferry says the cause of the incident will hopefully be determined today.
"It was in an electrical panel where the fire and explosion happened," he said.
Ferry says the blast caused around $500,000 in damage to the Kubota plant on Commerce Road. According to the Orillia OPP's media release, Kubota was left without power following the incident.
Jennifer Rushby of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, confirmed that a worker was injured while working on an electrical panel on Thursday.
“It was reported a second worker suffered smoke inhalation,” she said in a written statement to OrilliaMatters.
Rushby says a ministry inspector has been assigned and an investigation is ongoing.
Officials from the Ontario Fire Marshal and Kubota Materials Canada did not respond to OrilliaMatters requests for comment in time for the publication of this article.
