Update: February 12
All programming on the Silver King Campus will proceed as normal tomorrow, Tuesday, February 13, except for classes in the North Trades Building, which will be relocated. Impacted students will be contacted directly.
The North Trades Building is closed, and access is restricted. Continuous security remains onsite to comply with the ongoing investigation.
Update: February 9
Access to the impacted area remains restricted while Nelson Fire & Rescue Services assesses the site. The North, South and Carpentry Buildings and D-Pace are all closed.
A structural engineer will be surveying the scene this weekend.
Impacted students in the School of Industry & Trades Training will be notified directly by email about any alternate arrangements for classes on Monday.
All Community Education & Workplace Training classes are proceeding as planned.
Critical debrief sessions have been held with people who were directly impacted by the incident. More sessions are being planned for early next week, details to follow.
Please continue to monitor the website for details. An updated will be provided on Monday.
Original Story
Just after 1:30 pm on Thursday, February 8, two acetylene gas tanks exploded outside the North Trades Building on the Silver King Campus in Nelson. There are no reported injuries due to the explosions.
The North and South Trades Buildings were evacuated. The cause of the two separate explosions is currently under investigation.
FortisBC has shut down gas to the impacted areas. Nelson Fire & Rescue Services has secured the scene and will be returning tomorrow to investigate. Security will be on site over the next 24 hours. WorkSafeBC will be conducting a full investigation of the situation in the coming days.
The following areas will be closed Friday, February 9, 2024, to students and employees:
- North Trades Building
- South Trades Building
- Carpentry Building
- Maintenance Building
Impacted students and employers with contract training scheduled will be contacted. Employees scheduled to work in these locations should contact their supervisors.
The following areas remain open:
- Classroom Block
- Student Commons
- Silver King Childcare Centre
Selkirk College would like to thank all first responders who acted quickly to ensure that the situation was brought under control. Selkirk College employees and students initiated proper evacuation protocols that helped guarantee the safety of all involved.
Learn more about what to expect in an emergency and sign up to receive alerts through Alertus.
If you are a Selkirk College student or employee and have been impacted by this incident, supports are available through Counselling Services and other mental health resources, including Here2Talk, which offers all students currently registered in a post-secondary institution in British Columbia access to free, confidential counselling and community referral services.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Homewood Health, gives professional, confidential counselling services to employees and their dependent families. The service is voluntary, and the goal of the program is a short-term solution focused on helping employees resolve personal and/or work life issues. Homewood Health can be reached 24/7 at 1-800-663-1142.