A worker employed by the Canadian company MVC Océan died on 1 December 2025 in an explosion aboard a vessel in dry dock in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, according to a recently published report by the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), Quebec’s workplace safety authority.
Petrol vapours in an enclosed space
The worker was carrying out sensor repairs in the vessel’s hold, an enclosed compartment that also contained a petrol tank. Petrol vapours that had accumulated in the hold ignited, causing an explosion and fire. Due to the extent of the damage, CNESST could not determine the exact ignition source with certainty. The inspector did note that the worker had likely been using a battery-powered tool at the time of the explosion – equipment capable of producing sparks or static electricity. The report does not state whether this tool was rated for hazardous atmospheres, or whether a risk assessment had been carried out beforehand.
Work method deemed inadequate by the regulator
CNESST concluded that “the method used to carry out the work inside the hold was inadequate, given the enclosed space and the presence of a petrol tank.” The report does not indicate whether formal corrective directives were issued against MVC Océan.
The incident underscores, worldwide, the importance of atmospheric monitoring, ventilation and strict control of ignition sources before work begins in enclosed spaces containing fuel systems – a point relevant to virtually any sector involving confined-space work, from shipbuilding to industrial tanks.
Source: Inadequate work method cited in fatal boat explosion, 18 September 2026
