Yellowknife explosion caused by person ‘huffing’ propane in parked boat, RCMP say
Explosion downtown early Tuesday morning left one person injured and in critical condition
Police say an explosion in downtown Yellowknife on Tuesday happened as someone was “huffing” propane from inside a parked boat.
The incident left one person injured and in critical condition, RCMP said in a news release on Wednesday.
A loud crack at 2:10 a.m. local time on Tuesday from a property near the corner of 54th Street and 52nd Avenue woke up several residents and drew a small crowd.
RCMP say they received several calls immediately after. The release says officers went to the location and found a person lying on the ground near the remains of a boat that was destroyed in the blast.
The person was flown out of Yellowknife for treatment.
Debris from the boat was strewn across the road and neighbouring properties — and hanging from nearby trees. There also appeared to be damage to a garage.
In the news release, RCMP advised that using inhalants such as propane or gasoline is dangerous. It says in addition to the internal health risks, inhalants are volatile substances that can explode or cause fires “under the right conditions.”
Police also advised residents to ensure that things like gasoline or propane are locked up or inaccessible.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Explosion rocks Yellowknife neighbourhood early Tuesday morning, CBC News
