By Canadian Press

Safety is priority following worker’s death in Vancouver crane incident: mayor

Feb 22, 2024 | 12:25 PM

VANCOUVER — The mayor of Vancouver says he is “deeply saddened” by the death of a worker when the load from a crane fell on a building under construction in the city’s Oakridge neighbourhood, and worksite safety must remain a top priority.

A statement from Ken Sim says officials are committed to ensuring the safety of everyone working on construction projects in the city, and they will “continue to work diligently to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

Matthew Trudeau with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services confirmed the fatality hours after the load fell Wednesday afternoon, striking the building about 25 storeys up.

The identity of the person killed has not been publicly announced.

Dustin Luchka, a spokesman for the construction company EllisDon Corp., says operations at the site had been halted on Thursday.

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The company would not release further details about the incident or the victim out of respect for the worker’s family and in light of the ongoing investigation. 

“We genuinely wish to extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the individual who was involved,” says the statement from Luchka.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and will do absolutely everything possible to understand why it happened.”

Sim’s statement says his “heartfelt condolences go out to the victim’s family, friends and colleagues who are undoubtedly experiencing immense grief.”

The mayor also thanked firefighters, police, the coroner’s service and WorkSafeBC for their “swift response” to the incident.

Firefighters were called to the city’s busy Cambie Street around 3 p.m., where they closed a four-block stretch of the route.

Police issued a notice at 5 a.m. Thursday saying the street had reopened.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press