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Whitehorse man sentenced to 2 months of house arrest for house explosion

Thursday, 18 September 2025 09:51

By Panebi Wilson X @chonfmpwilson

Photo of Bates crescent house explosion in 2023 (Panebi Wilson/CHON-FM news)

Preston apologized to Gould's wife, Linda, and agreed to pay $24,000 in restitution to her and another neighbor.

A Whitehorse resident has been sentenced to two months of house arrest for his role in a devastating explosion that destroyed his home, killed his neighbour, and damaged several other properties in 2023.

Timothy Preston, 78, pleaded guilty to two charges under the Yukon's Gas Burning Devices Act, specifically installing a gas appliance without a permit and operating it without approval from an inspector.
The explosion, which occurred on November 14, 2023, was caused by a gas fireplace installed by Preston, who had hired an electrician but failed to obtain the necessary permits or inspections.

The blast killed 77-year-old David Gould, injured Preston, and caused significant damage to nearby homes. During the court session Wednesday, Preston apologized to Gould's wife, Linda, and agreed to pay $24,000 in restitution to her and another neighbour.

While reading the sentence, Judge Adrian Brooks acknowledged that the sentence might seem lenient given the severity of the consequences, but emphasized that it was within the context of similar charges under the territorial Act.

The court heard that 13 restitution claims were filed by neighbors who suffered financial losses, totaling over $100,000.

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