Two bodies found at burned-out sawmill

BURNS LAKE, British Columbia, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A Canadian town in central British Columbia was in mourning Tuesday after the bodies of two men were found in the ashes of a sawmill that burned down Friday.

The explosion and fire left the two missing until they were found Monday, the Vancouver Sun reported.

Eighteen other workers were hospitalized in British Columbia and Alberta with burns and injuries ranging from moderate to critical, the report said.

The mill is in Burns Creek, 650 miles from Vancouver, and is owned by Hampton Affiliates of Portland, Ore. Company officials held a town hall meeting Monday, where more than 200 people called for an apology from the firm and a full investigation, the Sun said.

Hampton's Chief Executive Officer Steve Zika listened as workers and their families complained about past allegations of safety breaches at the facility.

"I'm terribly sorry. If I could turn back the clock, I would," Zika said.

Mill worker Frank Munger told the Sun the town had been in a deep freeze for days before the blast and fire and workers had been concerned about water pipes freezing.

Other workers alleged supervisors had ignored reports about the smell of gasoline before the facility exploded and burned.