A safety investigation is underway after one worker was killed and a second was seriously injured last week at a northwestern Alberta oilsands site.
In a statement to CBC, provincial government officials say Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) continues to investigate the workplace death which occurred on Jan. 29 near Christina Lake, about 150 kilometres south of Fort McMurray, Alta.
According to investigators, the workers were unloading a truck when a piece of pipe rolled off the vehicle, striking them both.
One worker was fatally injured, the other sustained serious injuries.
Officials with Cenovus said the incident occurred at the company’s Christina Lake North oilsands site.
“Cenovus is working with the appropriate authorities,” the company said in an emailed statement.
“We are deeply saddened by this incident and extend our profound sympathies to their families, friends and colleagues.”
Work was immediately stopped in the area where the incident occurred, but operations at Christina Lake North have continued, Cenovus said Friday.
Officials with the Calgary-based company said the workers were employed by a third-party contractor but would not provide further information.
Provincial government officials have declined to provide additional details on the incident, citing the ongoing OHS investigation.
Christina Lake North, formerly operated by MEG Energy Corp, was acquired by Cenovus in late 2025.
The site, operating since 2008, is a SAG-D or steam-assisted gravity drainage operation, an in-situ process that relies on horizontal wells and injected steam to extract heavy oil and bitumen from the earth.
Cenovus completed its takeover of the MEG Energy site in mid-November 2025, with ongoing plans to increase capacity and expand operations.
