Veolia, manager acquitted of criminal negligence charges

Firefighters pour water on a building at Veolia ES Canada Industrial Services Inc. plant to prevent hot spots in Sarnia, Ontario on Saturday Oct. 25, 2014. (Colin Graf / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A judge acquitted Veolia Environmental Services and one of its supervisors of criminal negligence charges in a Sarnia courtroom Friday.

The charges of criminal negligence causing death and causing bodily harm were laid following an explosion at the industrial facility that killed a worker and injured six others in October of 2014.

Following investigations by police and the Ministry of Labour, the charges were laid against Anthony Lavoratore, the division manager of the North America corporation, and the company.

A dust collection system was the source of the explosion, which left a giant hole in a wall of the plant and caused significant structural damage as well.

The company's lawyer could not be reached for comment.