When the training pays off: Classic Oilfield Service in Lloydminster reacts quickly to carbon monoxide leak

Brian Zinchuk

Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online

All those boring mornings spent in safety sessions paid off for Classic Oilfield Service Ltd. in Lloydminster of Tuesday, Oct. 14. A carbon monoxide leak started affecting their staff, and putting two and two together, they realized just what was going on and moved quickly to counter it.

This is what the company posted on Facebook on Oct. 16:

Emergency Incident & Response at Classic Oilfield Service Ltd.

On the afternoon of October 14th, at approximately 12:10 PM, emergency services responded to a serious medical emergency at our workplace. A member of our team, experienced what appeared to be a severe seizure, prompting a 911 call from our upstairs office. Paramedics and Fire Department personnel arrived promptly and transported her safely to the Lloydminster hospital.

While our staff were processing the incident and checking on one another, a few team members began to report symptoms such as nausea and dizziness. This prompted immediate concern that there might be a broader environmental issue. Using portable monitors typically deployed in our fieldwork, we detected dangerously high levels of carbon monoxide within the office portion of the building.

We immediately evacuated the building and increased ventilation by opening all doors and windows and again contacted 911.

The Fire Department arrived quickly and confirmed elevated CO readings — even outside the building near the open doors. Upon further investigation, we discovered the source: an exhaust clamp broke and the exhaust pipe had become detached from our building’s boiler, causing carbon monoxide to vent directly into the office space. Due to the severity of the readings, Paramedics were called back, and all staff present who’d been in the office were transported to the hospital for evaluation and testing, along with all first responders who had entered the building.

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All individuals involved that showed elevated carbon monoxide levels required medical treatment by being placed on oxygen therapy in the ER for a minimum of six hours. Those with higher readings were transferred to Edmonton for further treatment in hyperbaric chambers.

Thankfully, all of our staff have since been discharged and are recovering well.

We are incredibly grateful to the Paramedics, Fire Department, and ER Staff, for their rapid response, professionalism, and excellent care throughout this emergency.

Our team has begun a full review of safety systems and infrastructure to prevent any such incident from occurring again. The health and safety of our staff remain our top priority.

We strongly encourage everyone to install carbon monoxide (CO) monitors—not just at home, but in workplaces and offices too. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly if undetected. A CO monitor provides early warning and could save lives.

Thank you,

The management and staff at Classic Oilfield Service Ltd

Committed to Safety & Transparency