Seriousness of neglect not yet known

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Provincial safety code violation orders were issued in the past five years to owners of all three Etobicoke propane facilities larger in capacity than explosion-devastated Sunrise Propane in Downsview.

Yet the violations appear minor when compared with orders against Sunrise Propane, which found Sunrise was doing truck-to-truck transfers and that at least one truck had a hose hanging improperly.

Violations against the three Etobicoke propane filling stations include failing to meet requirements of rain caps on relief valves, prominently displayed ‘no smoking/ignition off’ signs and a fire extinguisher onsite. All were eligible for voluntary compliance, which means an inspector would re-inspect the site by the set compliance date.

Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) officials could not immediately respond yesterday to questions regarding the seriousness of the violations at the three Etobicoke sites. Those answers are expected in coming days.

The two gas stations and one autobody shop in Etobicoke are owned by the same family. All provide propane to taxis, limousines and for barbecues.

TSSA, the industry’s fuel regulator, lists the three sites as the largest in Toronto, all with greater fuel storage capacity than Sunrise Propane.

City Auto and Tire Service at 1345 Martin Grove Rd. is the city’s largest propane filling station, with more than twice Sunrise’s propane storage capacity at 9,200 United States Water Gallons (USWG). Sunrise had made application to expand its facility to 30,000 USWG, or seven times its capacity, before the explosion, a TSSA spokesperson said yesterday.

In 2006, a TSSA inspector issued 13 orders against City Auto for violations that included a missing rain cap on the relief valve on the motor fill, no prominently displayed “no smoking” signs, “readily ignitable materials, including weeds and long grass”, a bypass line not equipped with a relief valve, and lack of access to the storage tank in the event of firefighting, with an order to clean up the site.

This week, a city bylaw officer issued a similar order to clean up the West Humber site, and to remove unlicensed vehicles. The site is crowded with parked cars.

When The Guardian visited the site last week, acting manager Pritam Arshi, who holds a licence with the Ontario Propane Association, said the station has operated without incident since the mid-’80s.

“I have the safety records. For 20 to 30 years, nothing has happened. Nobody has been bothered,” said Arshi, whose name appears on the TSSA inspection report orders.

Carling Propane Inc. has serviced City Auto since 1993, and visits the site every three months to check for leaks, corrosion and regular maintenance, Stan Bielak of Carling said in an interview last week.

The same TSSA inspector issued eight safety violation orders against Kipling Wash and Gas at 2044 Kipling Ave. during inspections in February and June 2006.

Violations cited include the absence of a “no smoking/ignition off” sign at propane dispensers, the relocation of the propane dispenser (fill-up pump) without prior approval, and no fire extinguisher at the propane tank.

Chan Jagroo, 54, regularly gets gas at Etobicoke’s third large propane filling station, a gas station at 660 Evans Ave. in Alderwood adjacent to Sherway Gardens and a motel.

She has lived directly across the street for 23 years.

Until Sunrise Propane exploded 10 days ago, Jagroo said she didn’t realize the gas station’s eight-metre tall vertical tank contained propane.

“It came totally as a shock,” Jagroo said of the tank. “I didn’t know what it was... It should not even be there... It should be moved.”

TSSA inspection reports dated 2005, 2006 and earlier this year for that station found nine violations that included an interval valve left open, the requirement of a rain cap on all tank relief valves (cited in 2005, 2006 and 2008), no fire extinguisher and the absence of a “no smoking/ignition off” sign at the propane dispenser.