A handful of buildings at a Selkirk College campus in Nelson, B.C., were evacuated Friday after two acetylene gas tanks exploded.
No one was injured in the incident, which occurred around 1:30 p.m. outside the North Trades Building at the Silver King campus, the college said in a news release.
The cause of the explosions is still under investigation. Selkirk College said WorkSafeBC is aware of the incident and will be attending the site to conduct its own probe in the coming days.
The Trades Buildings at the Silver King Campus in Nelson are currently being evacuated and the fire department is on site. Please do not approach the site. Additional information to follow. pic.twitter.com/DPxMykbzGG
— Selkirk College (@selkirkcollege) February 8, 2024
Meanwhile, the college said additional security will be present on campus, as will Nelson Fire and Rescue Services.
FortisBC has also turned off the gas to impacted areas of the campus.
Students and staff have been warned to expect closures on Friday. While the Classroom Block, Student Commons and Silver King Child Care Centre remain open, the North Trades, South Trades, Carpentry and Maintenance buildings will be shut.
Selkirk College said it would reach out to impacted staff and students.
In its statement, it thanks first responders for their swift action on Friday afternoon, as well as students and staff who followed proper evacuation protocols.
