Worker killed in industrial accident in Labrador City

(Canadian OH&S News)

Mystery surrounds the death of a worker at an apartment building in Labrador City on Oct. 25.

At about 4:30 p.m., police officers from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) — Newfoundland and Labrador’s provincial police service — and paramedics from the Captain William Jackman Memorial Hospital responded to a report of an industrial accident at the Embassy apartment building on Bartlett Drive in Labrador City. RNC secured the scene; the investigation into the cause of the accident is still in the preliminary stages.

Insp. Paula Walsh, commanding officer of the RNC’s Labrador West Region, confirmed that a 45-year-old man, a resident of Belledune, New Brunswick, was pronounced deceased by medical practitioners. Out of respect to family members, the RNC will not be releasing the name of the worker.

On Oct. 28, the RNC added in a press release that it has concluded its investigation into the accident and turned the investigation over to occupational health and safety officers from Service NL.

“At this time, the RNC has no reason to believe that the accident was suspicious in nature,” the press release said, adding that anyone with information can contact police at (709) 944-7602 or provide information anonymously on the Crime Stoppers of Newfoundland and Labrador’s website at www.nlcrimestoppers.com.

Vanessa Colman-Sadd, director of communications with Service NL, confirmed that an investigation is underway, but couldn’t provide any additional information. “This is very much an active investigation and so we can’t go into much detail at this point in time,” she said.

Media reports suggested the worker was killed after falling six storeys from the roof of the building, along with a piece of heavy equipment. Weather conditions at the time were reportedly poor, with high winds and blowing snow.

McCarthy’s Roofing Limited in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia began upgrades to the building in the summer, the reports said, although it is unclear if the worker was an employee of the company.