The owner of the Food Enhancement Center, Ashley Wallis, faces a criminal charge in connection with the explosion that completely destroyed the building on Bourque Boulevard in March 2022.
In all, five people were injured in this violent explosion.
The public prosecutor, Me Louis Fouquet, confirms that a charge of negligent arson has been filed against the 41-year-old man from St-Denis-de-Brompton.
The indictment alleges that Ashley Wallis deviated markedly from the normal behavior that a prudent person would have adopted to anticipate or limit the spread of fires or prevent explosions.
He is also accused of having contributed to causing a fire or explosion in the building, thus causing bodily harm to several people and damage to property.
Ashley Wallis will appear on January 8 at the Sherbrooke courthouse.
Section 436 of the Criminal Code provides that the charge of negligent arson is punishable by a maximum imprisonment of 5 years.
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The explosion completely destroyed the CVA building located on Bourque Boulevard in March 2022.
Photo: - / André Vuillemin
The Sherbrooke Police Department recently submitted its investigation report to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions following a long investigation process into the events that occurred on March 23, 2022.
Remember that the Commission on Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) had identified in his report a propane leak due to the accidental opening of an unobstructed valve on the interior distribution line in the kitchen to explain the explosion.
Another trial will open in the Court of Quebec on January 27 as the owner of the Food Enhancement Center contests the offense issued by the CNESSTmaintaining that the company directly and seriously compromised the health, safety and physical or psychological integrity of a worker during the building explosion.
With information from Martin Pelletier
