A military base on Vancouver Island, British Columbia was rocked by a massive explosion on Thursday. Even though they can see Russia from there, they blame it on a gas leak. At least ten were injured.
Explosion rattles windows
The explosion rattled nerves and windows half a mile away, on Thursday, November 18. When the blast went off around 9 a.m., it injured 10, one seriously.
What made the incident especially concerning was that it happened at “Canadian Forces Base Comox.” Reports note it “shook the nearby civilian airport and rattled windows as far as a kilometer away.”
The immediate focus, according to Lt.-Col. Mike Juillet is “assisting our injured personnel.” The local Emergency Health Service reports that immediately after the explosion, “multiple ambulances, including an air ambulance, responded to the base.”
Out of the ten personnel evaluated at the scene by paramedics, one person “was airlifted to hospital in serious condition.”
Three more explosion victims were transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment, in “stable condition.”
Base medics were able to patch up the rest. Most of the injuries were the result of flying debris.
Collapsed in the blast
As related by base officials, the “explosion occurred inside a historic barracks building that was under renovation and has partially collapsed in the blast.”
They’re pretty sure that natural gas was the culprit but “the cause had not yet been confirmed.”
Retired sergeant Brenda Cardinal was working out in the base rec center when “the building shook with the force of the explosion.” It was strong enough that “it actually shook the treadmill.”
When they made it outside, “you could see right across there was a lot of smoke happening.” A witness who was inside the nearby Comox Valley Airport terminal was surprised by debris and pictures flying off the walls.
As related by Don Catling, “I heard an explosion and it rattled the building and I turned and looked and saw a huge plume of smoke and debris flying everywhere.” He was there servicing airport equipment.
A kilometer from the base, which is roughly 5/8 of a mile, David Little “heard two sharp blasts in close succession.” The blast “shook the house, shook the windows. We came down to have a look and make sure everyone is all right.”
