Capitalism has a nasty habit of suddenly laying a ton of grief on unsuspecting members of the working class. A typical example is when the employees of Consumers Glass in Etobicoke, Ontario, were recently told the plant was going to be shut down just two weeks after they had negotiated a union contract. But the explosion at the Sunrise Propane yard in Toronto on August 10 takes some beating. This happened at 4 am in a heavily populated residential area. 12 000 people living in a 1.6 kilometre radius were evacuated, many clad only in night clothes. A 25-year veteran of the Toronto Fire Department died fighting the blaze, and a Sunrise employee was missing presumed dead. He was reportedly last seen heading towards the fire. Considering the blast shattered windows over a wide area and flying debris damaged buildings hundreds of metres away, it was surprising casualties were not greater. Thousands forced to flee from their homes are demanding answers from the Toronto City Council as to why Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases was allowed to build a distribution plant in a long established residential area three years ago. Although the casualties were light, the residents wonder why they were not consulted when plans to move the company into this working class neighbourhood were made. "We weren’t even advised they were going to be there. They just moved in." (resident’s response, Toronto Star, 11 August).
The area councilor, Maria Augimeri, had to cut short her holiday in Italy to return and face the anger. Augimeri organized a meeting at the same time as the local ratepayers association had theirs. When asked why she didn’t simply attend the ratepayers’ meeting she told the reporter to ‘shut up’.
The technical Standards and Safety Authority which is charged with monitoring the handling, transport, storage, and use of fuel products and Transport Canada that oversees the shipment of fuel were unable to provide details of their standards and regulations, including how close to residential neighbourhoods propane should be stored. This is in part the legacy of the government of neocon Mike Harris who dismantled government agencies charged with safety in industry in a massive privatization move designed to save his government money that was mostly returned to the wealthier Ontarians via tax cuts. The tainted water scandal at Walkerton was one disastrous result. This appears to be another, although the Liberals, now in their second term, have done little to correct the situation. The Propane Association of Canada did issue a statement that "incidents like this are extremely rare." The fact is, one is too many.
Acting mayor, Shelley Carroll, said the proper mechanisms were in place to ensure the explosions were sent north-south rather than east-west towards the residents. Famous last words! According to Michael Birk, head of mechanical and materials engineering at Queen’s University, "Propane technology is very safe and industry standards are updated." Neither of these comments mean anything to those who have had their homes damaged or suffered personal injury. The plain fact is that it’s far too dangerous to have a propane yard near any homes, let alone in the middle of a densely populated area.
Propane, the main constituent of liquid petroleum gas (LPG), widely used for home heating and barbecues, is heavier than air, meaning it will sink to the ground and stay there. Even a spark can set it off. Propane tanks, whether they be a 22 000 litre storage unit or a barbecue tank, contain 80% liquid and the remaining space for vapour. Relief valves on the tank open when the pressure exceeds the design limits. The gas that escapes rapidly expands. The 18 litres of liquid in the average barbecue tank could expand to more than 380 cubic metres of potentially explosive gas, enough to cover a parking garage 30 metres by 40 metres. The tanks involved in the fire had the capacity for 220 000 litres, more than 12 000 times as much as the back yard barbecue tank. Though fire fighters were dispatched from all over Toronto, they could only work with full equipment, including breathing apparatus, for 20 to 30minutes at a time in such intense heat. As one commented, "If there is a fire under one of these cylinders, it will warm up that cylinder and bring it to a point where it is boiling, and if there is a slight crack in that cylinder, then the likelihood is that you’re going to have an explosion.
Ontario’s Ministry of Environment ordered Sunrise Propane to take care of the clean- up three days after the explosion, but when it became clear they were not moving fast enough, the City of Toronto took over. Shelley Carroll informed residents that crews would be going door to door to advise them when that would be. Within four days of the blast, two law firms filed $500 million law suits on behalf of outraged residents against Sunrise Propane.
To a socialist, the fact that the company will pay compensation isn’t the point. That their operations in a residential area is not in violation of the City of Toronto by-laws is very much the point. It means the politicians, who run the day-to-day business for capitalism are more focused on that aspect than on public safety. What is also very much to the point is that the yard was situated in a working class neighbourhood. Imagine the uproar if it had been proposed to locate it in the affluent Rosedale area, or in Westchester, Westmount, or near Buckingham Palace! Nor does it make sense to argue that there are countries and provinces with better environmental and safety regulations than Ontario. Within capitalism, such regulations will always be subordinate to the profit motive that is the lifeblood of the capitalist system. Along with wars, starvation, and other deprivations of our current system, that subordination will constantly lead to preventable loss of and threat to human life. Common sense dictates, and socialism would naturally include, that top priority would be given to the health and general welfare of the citizens simply because they would be the ones making the decisions in the interests of all. Dangerous chemicals, if needed, would be located away from populated areas and managed by qualified personnel.
S.Shannon
No comments:
Post a Comment