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Some of the motors that opened and closed the bunkers’ steel doors were also found to have malfunctioned.

The problems led to the relocation of the explosives, but Walker said the older bunkers to which the ammunition was moved had been slated for demolition and so had not been properly maintained. Paint on the inside walls had peeled off, releasing asbestos into the air.

“The paint encapsulates the old asbestos,” Walker said. “We got a report that there was an asbestos release and we had to close some of those magazines.”

The military now has approval to store a smaller amount of ammunition in five of the seven new bunkers, he said, but has yet to move the explosives back to those locations.

Walker said it will be up to officials from DND and from Defence Construction Canada, the Crown corporation which signed off on and co-ordinated the bunker project, to deal with contractors over any necessary repairs.

But John MacLennan, national president of the Union of National Defence Employees, said his organization raised concerns several years ago about shoddy workmanship on projects handled by Defence Construction Canada. Politicians promised action but none was taken, he said.

“You’re seeing the results today,” said MacLennan, whose union represents the workers at the ammo depot. “This is not only unsafe for our members and the public but it will cost taxpayers millions of dollars more to fix.”

The construction of the new bunkers was announced in 2010 by then Defence Minister Peter MacKay at a cost of more than $13 million.

In February 2017 the CBC reported that a Canadian Forces study had warned there was a high risk of fire at the Bedford depot. “Considering the potential for loss of millions of dollars in ammunition, the potential net explosive quantity present and the probability of loss of life, the fire effect severity is set at catastrophic,” said the report from the Canadian Forces fire marshall.

The report was commissioned in 2015 but released only recently.

• Email: dpugliese@postmedia.com | Twitter: davidpugliese