AN investigative report, forced into the public domain by a High Court ruling, has revealed that a fatal explosion and fire at the NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltd’s (NETL) Gas to Liquids (GTL) facility on June 15, 2023, which claimed the life of 35-year-old pipe fitter Allanlane Ramkissoon, was caused by a combination of hydrocarbon vapor release and profound systemic safety shortcomings.

The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) report not only identifies the genesis of the tragedy but also puts forward an urgent call for a comprehensive overhaul of safety protocols to avert future disasters.

The release of this report, tabled in Parliament on Wednesday comes after Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams two Fridays ago ruled that the Ministry of Energy’s refusal to disclose its findings was unlawful and against the public interest.