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Yesterday’s butane catastrophe yesterday was a tragedy for one family and a real eye opener for the rest of the community. The accident which claimed the life of 25 year old Elton Herrera illustrated in graphic terms how dangerous it can be to have butane depots in residential communities. That’s why today the city councillor in charge of NEMO Phillip Willoughby convened a special meeting of disaster and emergency response agencies to review the regulations for butane operators. Jacqueline Godwin was there to find out what they’ll do to make sure that what happened yesterday, doesn’t happen again.

Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Authorities investigating Monday’s explosion at Brown’s Butane Gas Company have not decided if any charges will be brought against the company after employee, twenty five year old Elton Herrera was killed instantly when the fifty pound cylinder he was carrying ruptured and exploded. Today however representatives from NEMO sat down to discuss the incident and what measures can be taken to ensure safety when handling such dangerous goods.

The general consensus is that all city butane gas services, a total of five, will have to move from out of the neighbourhoods in which they presently operate. But that is a long term plan. What will take immediate effect is an inspection of all such facilities.

Councillor Philip Willoughby, NEMO Rep. Belize City
“The agencies under which NEMO which is taking charge of the situation will go and visit all the major depots as well as the subsidiaries who provide the retail services for butane. Thereafter, we come back here and we meet with the service providers and we discuss with them what our findings would be at the conclusion of the investigation and they must meet the guidelines and specifications under the law.”

If any flaws are found then the butane depots will be give a specific time in which to upgrade the service they provide following the rules of the dangerous goods law.

Jacqueline Godwin,
“What will you be looking for?”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Again the various agencies have under the law certain guidelines that these butane service providers should be acting within the scope of law and how they should operate and they must pass these tests, it is simple. They must pass these tests. If under extreme circumstances, clear and present danger is involved and is imminent then their license will be revoked. Thereafter coming to 2010/2011 for the renewal and revision of the trade license to operate, we will tie in the Dangerous Goods License that the BDF has to certify to say that you can deal with and provide these services under the Dangerous Goods Act and it is the BDF who provides this particular license, thereafter all agencies will have to agree and thereafter you would get the dangerous goods license and your trade license. So there will not be acting independent of each other. They will have to be a synchronized effort on our part to ensure safety and the preservation of life.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“But what I want from you is will these service providers be notified as of today that they can no longer fill any tank that is corroded or that has been repaired, welded?”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Well I believe by yesterday’s event, I hope to think it is a lesson learnt and so forth and I am certain based again on the meeting that these service providers know what the protocol should be, how they should operate. Now I am telling you, NEMO has gotten involved and we will enforce the law. It is as simple as that.”

It is alarming to note that of the five butane providers in Belize City only one is in possession of both a trade license to operate and the dangerous goods license that is certified and issued by the Belize Defence Force.

Jacqueline Godwin,
“Do we know that if at the time of the incident, Brown’s Butane Gas Company was in possession of a license to be operating such a business in that neighbourhood?”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Brown’s does have a trade license to do business. What Brown’s Butane does not have is the license to operate with Dangerous Goods, that is the one that the Belize Defense Force signs off on to give you the authority to deal with dangerous goods. He does not have one of those.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“So in essence, you are saying they should not have been selling gas?”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Basically yes.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“How many providers we have, how many depots we have in the city and how many were in possession of such a license?”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“I believe from the meeting again five. One has such a license.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“The authorities should shoulder some blame or responsibility here because if you have one butane gas company who was not in compliance, meaning they didn’t have this license to be operating dangerous goods, why wasn’t anything done about it?”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Okay mam. Where the law is concerned there, the jurisdiction then falls within or outside the scope of what NEMO does before or prior to getting involved. Now that NEMO has gotten involved and we are in this process then I believe all angles will be covered. But prior to now I can’t say why didn’t or what should have happened and why it didn’t happen. This is a matter that warrants an investigation and we will be looking at it.”

There are serious concerns even about the only butane provider that is possession of both licenses and the clear danger that exists from that establishment.

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“We have been keeping a close eye from the Ministry of Emergency Management, that particular service provider because of its proximity to a health facility, it is in a residential community, it is nearby a school, and the repercussions of any like I said clear or imminent danger will be devastating to that particular community.”

It was a miracle that only one person died from the explosion. As explained by the BDF representatives if the initial explosion had sparked another blast the damage would have extended as far away as the Belcan Bridge. Buildings would have likely levelled and more lives would have been lost.

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“NEMO reacts to disasters. Now all agencies should have been doing their duties under the law. We don’t want a major disaster to occur and not be prepared and our motto is to preserve life and protect property.”

Another recommendation being considered is that it will be the responsibility of butane vendors to supply cylinders to their customers as was once the practise

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Some old practices have to be revisited that the major depots own the tank, you fill the tank or you rent the tank or lease the tank, whatever the case is, but you are ultimately responsible for the safety of that particular tank. Whenever I believe that it has deteriorated beyond extent, that tank is recalled in and you are issued a new tank. But these are some of the things that we are looking at when it comes to the tanks; even the painting, the maintenance, the different valves, the connections and so forth.”

Councillor Willoughby is optimistic that the inspection of all city butane gas providers and subsidiaries will be completed by the end of next week.

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“And if there is an economic cost and you want to forego your life based on cost, then that is totally up to you and that will create a hiccup in the system as far as I am concerned and how we deal with business and I think the time has long come whereby we will be making tough decisions, we must make tough decisions, right decisions, and we have to take into consideration people’s lives. At the end of the day that is what counts.”

Councillor Willoughby also raised another concern and cautions all homeowners.

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“These tanks should not be going to your residence to fill tanks. That should not be taking place unless your tank is stationary. I don’t know the procedure as that but what I am telling you is they should not go in neighbourhoods, running around with these tanks, filling tanks. No, no, no. Unless it is stationary tank like restaurants and so forth, then you know you have to go. Other than that, there is no way.”

Jacqueline Godwin,
“But that’s a standard practice in the districts.”

Councillor Philip Willoughby,
“Again I as the Belize City Coordinator I have a responsibility to the city and being a part of the council. Now my colleagues as the other coordinators then they will have to follow suit and deal with it how they see it best but based on what our experience was and others you have seen maybe on the media and so forth, no occurrence.

Like I said if it is an extreme case, the agencies will decide if they will imeidately close down operations, fix what needs to be fixed, we re-inspect and then they proceed to operate, if that is the case. If it is something minor and it can be corrected as a remedial measure almost immediately, then no problem.”

Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.

Brown’s Butane Gas Service says that in its twenty years of service yesterday was the first time that there was a major incident at their facility.