Another explosion reported at AIM recycling facility in Saint John

Another explosion has occurred at the American Iron & Metal [AIM] recycling facility in Saint John.

In a social media post, Mayor Don Darling confirmed that the explosion happened around 11:20 a.m. on Saturday

Darling tells Global News that he could hear the explosion himself while down along the harbourfront. He’s calling the event “quite significant.”

“It was big,” Darling said. “It’s an explosion that is shaking buildings, shaking nearby houses.”

“When people miles and miles, or kilometres and kilometres away are messaging me asking, ‘Whoa, what just happened?’ that shows you the level.”

Darling says he has been in contact with the city’s fire chief and head of the Emergency Measures Organization, as well as the city manager and the Port of Saint John.

He added that he has not received any indication that anyone was injured.

AIM reported a similar blast in the days that followed the fiery explosion at the Irving Oil refinery on Oct. 8. The company said the noise was from a contained single burst of pressure with no threat to the public.

Darling says explosions, dust and noise continue to have a nagging impact on residents in the community and surrounding areas.

“I just think people have had enough,” Darling said. “This remains unacceptable and we need to find solutions.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by Max Wilson, who said last month that dust and reduced property values are just a few of the impacts explosions such as these are having.

“My wife and I sleep with earplugs,” he said. “You shouldn’t have to do that. What kind of quality of life is that?

“It’s just a nightmare.”

AIM, the Saint John Police Force and the city’s fire department did not immediately respond to Global News for comment.

— With a file from Andrew Cromwell. 

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