'I didn't want to believe it': Man injured in Entwistle explosion remains in hospital
A man injured last week in an explosion at a wood pellet plant in Entwistle, Alta. remains in hospital.
Kody Richter, 27, was airlifted to Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital in critical condition on Feb. 11. Two other people were hurt in the explosion and fire at the Pinnacle Renewable Energy plant, about 100 kilometres west of Edmonton.
Richter has a head injury and fractures to his wrist and vertebrae, according to a GoFundMe campaign dedicated to his recovery.
His cousin, Natalie Quarrie, said he has been sedated since the blast. She choked up when talking about the moment she found out Richter had been hurt.
"I was just very upset to hear that, you know, one of my favourite people in the world are like getting airlifted to Edmonton," she said.
Richter occasionally does maintenance work at the Pinnacle plant, Quarrie said.
"He's just a really good person," she said. "For this to happen to somebody like him is just so horrifying because, you know, the guy wouldn't hurt anybody or anything."
Quarrie, 28, grew up alongside Richter, spending the summers at his family's farm in Evansburg, Alta. She described him as caring person and a hard worker.
"He loves adventuring. He loves going out and going quadding and going camping," she said.
"He built his own house from the ground up. He's an extremely talented carpenter. The stuff that that guy can build is just absolutely incredible."
Richter worked alongside Casey Szautner as a carpenter in the Evansburg area until last year. Szautner said he was shocked when he heard Richter was injured in the explosion.
"My heart just sank," he said. "When I found out it was him ... I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it."
Szautner speaks highly of his friend.
"If you want to say somebody's perfect, that's Kody," he said.
"As a friend, if you phone him for something, he's there. If you ever needed something, he was there. He's just an all-around good guy."
Szautner started one of two GoFundMe pages to help cover Richter's expenses as he heals. Woodland Lumber in Evansburg is also accepting donations.
"Kody deserves anything that's coming to help him," Szautner said.
"I want him to not worry about this and just worry about healing and let us all try and take care of his bills and take care of anything he needs."
Operations at the wood-pellet manufacturing plant were suspended, Pinnacle said in a statement last week. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
