News Release
Provincial Officials Investigating Quarry Blast
(Friday, August 15/2003)-- Halifax Regional Municipality will be assisting the Nova Scotia Department of the Environment and Labour in any way that it can in its investigation of a huge blast at a Kearney Lake area rock quarry yesterday afternoon.
Mayor Peter Kelly and District 16 Councillor Diana Whalen both expressed their shock at the severity of the blast and the extent of the resulting damage to three apartment buildings located some distance away.
Mayor Kelly said "We are both very relieved that no one was injured as a result of the blast. It is unimaginable that huge boulders, some weighing close to 300 pounds, could be blown across a four-lane divided highway (Bicentennial Drive) and tear through roofs and walls without injuring anyone."
Councillor Whalen said "Nobody wants a quarrying operation in their backyard. The area around the quarry is developing quickly and perhaps we should be taking a look at whether this is still an appropriate business to be operating in this largely residential area."
The Mayor said officials from the provincial Department of Environment and Labour are leading the investigation into the blast at the Gateway Materials quarry operation. HRM will also be investigating and will use the findings of the provincial investigation to determine if any municipal by-laws were violated as a result of the incident.
Mayor Kelly concluded "Stop Work Orders have been issued to ensure that no further blasting operations are permitted to go ahead until investigators report on the cause of Thursday's incident."
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
Councillor Diana Whalen
(902) 476-4116
