More than three and a half years after six people were killed in one of the deadliest workplace incidents in Ottawa's history — a 2022 explosion at an Ottawa tank truck manufacturing facility — Ottawa police have laid criminal charges against the company's owner, Neil Greene.
The 54-year-old is facing six counts of criminal negligence causing the deaths of Eastway Tank, Pump and Meter employees Rick Bastien, Danny Beale, Kayla Ferguson, Matt Kearney, Etienne Mabiala and Russell McLellan, as well as one count of criminal negligence causing bodily harm to employee Tanner Clement.
Of the deceased victims, all but Kearney were killed in the blast itself at the family-run business off Merivale Road in south Ottawa on Jan. 13, 2022. Kearney died of his injuries in hospital the following day.
Greene was arrested and charged Thursday morning, then released on a promise to appear in court.
Clockwise from top left: Eastway employees Matt Kearney, Etienne Mabiala, Danny Beale, Rick Bastien, Russell McLellan and Kayla Ferguson were killed by the explosion on Jan. 13, 2022.
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