Canadian Authorities Suspend Sunrise Propane's License, Say Company Can Re-Apply

August 24, 2008 1:05 p.m. EST

Toronto, Ontario (AHN) - Canada's Technical Standards and Safety Authority revealed that owners of Sunrise Propane may still apply for a new license, reports said Saturday.

The Toronto Sun reported that TSSA revoked Sunrise Propane's license to operate last Thursday, however, the move may not keep the owners from getting back into the propane business in the future.

Owners could form a new company and re-apply to the TSSA, the report added. TSSA officials said that anyone could apply for a license and that the agency must look at the merits of each application.

An investigation by TSSA disclosed that before the blast, a truck driver onsite was doing an illegal truck-to-truck transfer. It was found that the "unsafe" transfers were common and continued despite a 2006 order to stop the activity.

A TSSA spokesperson said Sunrise Propane can still appeal and may access any of the options available to them under due process.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion and fire, which forced 12,000 people to evacuate their homes.

TSSA also conducted inspections in all the major propane facilities in the wake of the August 10 explosion. The agency expects to complete inspections of smaller facilities by the year end.