Loved ones mourn young men killed
PORT BURWELL – Friends and loved ones are mourning the deaths of two men killed in the London, Ont. construction-site collapse that injured five others as officials continue investigating the cause.
John Martens, 21, and Henry Harder, the 26-yearold father of a newborn, were killed on Friday when a four-storey apartment complex under construction in partly collapsed, a workplace disaster that's stunned the city and sent shockwaves through small nearby communities.
“He had his whole life ahead of him,” Pastor Herman Bueckert of Lighthouse Gospel Church in Port Burwell said of Martens, whose family is in the congregation. “He is leaving a family, a girlfriend who was anticipating a life together with him.
“John was a good-natured, happy young man – carefree and enjoyed life.”
Both Martens and Harder
worked in the concrete industry. Harder's family declined comment when contacted this weekend.
But a friend who has organized an online fundraiser
fondly recalled Harder, whose wife gave birth to a baby girl three weeks ago.
“He was a really calm guy, didn't talk much, but was a good person and a hard worker,” Pete Friesen said.
In a statement, the London and District Labour Council called the collapse a harsh reminder of the dangers of construction work.
“Our hearts go out in sympathy to the families, coworkers and friends of the workers whose lives were lost, and those who were injured in this devastating incident,” said president Patti Dalton.
“This is a stark reminder that workers' lives are at risk on a daily basis, and that we must continue to fight for robust health and safety measures to protect workers in every workplace.”
A small memorial for both Martens and Harder was held Saturday night at the church in Port Burwell, where both funerals will occur, said Bueckert, the pastor.
“Don't take your life for granted,” Bueckert said. “We don't how long each one of us has. We live in a world of unknowns.”