School District 23 sued over Mount Boucherie auto class accident

Photo: Colin Dacre

A former Mount Boucherie student is suing the local school district following an accident in an automotive class that left him with serious burns on his hands, wrists and face.

The incident occurred back on Jan. 8, 2024 during a Grade 12 auto shop class at the West Kelowna high school. In a civil lawsuit filed by Tanya Zumbo as litigation guardian on behalf of the student says the student was trying to “decommission an airbag inflator device” after he was told to deconstruct it by his teacher.

The suit claims the student was reassured by his teacher “that the explosive components within the device had been decommissioned and there was no risk of harm or injury.”

“The Plaintiff was not provided further instruction on how to deconstruct the device,” the suit states.

But while taking apart the device, the student says it exploded.

The student suffered first and second degree burns to his hands, wrists, right shoulder and face, the suit states, which caused nerve damage to his hands and scarring.

He also says he suffered emotional trauma from the incident.

The student, who now lives in Alberta, goes on to say the incident was “caused solely by the negligence of the defendants” including School District 23 and the teacher who was supervising the class.

As a result of his injuries, he says he has needed to pay for personal care and assistance, household services along with transportation and other services.

“The Plaintiff has been obliged to rely on and continues to rely on others for gratuitous personal care and assistance,” the suit says.

Neither School District 23 nor the teacher involved in the matter have filed formal responses to the lawsuit. None of the claims made by the lawsuit have been tested in court.