Residents use bright safety shirts to honour crane collapse victims
B.C. labour minister vows to act once investigators find cause of accident
KELOWNA, B.C. Photos of bright yellow and orange safety shirts or vests hanging on front stoops or in windows are spreading across social media as communities in B.C.'S Okanagan Valley mourn the deaths of five men, including one from Edmonton, killed when a crane collapsed at a construction site.
The photos shared using the hashtag #Kelownastrong show residents and construction-sector businesses in Kelowna and nearby Salmon Arm, B.C., are using the high-visibility gear to show support for the families of those killed on Monday.
The RCMP have said four of the men killed were working at the site where a 25-storey residential tower was under construction, and the body of a fifth man was recovered early Wednesday from the rubble of a neighbouring building.
The website for Stemmer Construction, based in Salmon Arm, lists the tower in Kelowna as one of its projects.
Kim Savage posted a photo of two vests hanging at The Ensuite, a showroom for EMCO plumbing and heating supplies in Salmon Arm, and says the Stemmer family is fairly well known in the community. Calls to Stemmer's office have not been answered this week.
The Mounties have not released the names of the men killed.
A Gofundme page created by Christa Walker identifies one of the victims as Jared Zook, from Edmonton.
“Our family is devastated by the loss of our fun, kind and loving son/brother/friend/nephew/ cousin/husband. Our lives are infinitely better for having him be a part of them. We know Jesus is wrapping his arms tightly around him right now,” reads a dedication on the page signed by the Goerzen/ Zook family.
By Wednesday evening, the fundraiser had raised more than $40,600 to cover the cost of Zook's funeral, lost wages, travel, and other expenses.
Another man who was hurt during the collapse was released from hospital after being treated for minor injuries.
David Boone, an assistant fire chief and the leader of the specialized search and rescue team from Vancouver that recovered a man's body from the neighbouring building, said earlier in the day that parts of the crane were still at risk of collapse.
The BC Coroners Service, the RCMP and Worksafebc, the provincial safety agency for workers, are each conducting investigations into the fatal incident.
The RCMP said Tuesday the crane collapsed while it was being dismantled.
Labour Minister Harry Bains says it would be inappropriate for the government to presuppose the cause while investigations into the collapse are ongoing.
“Once we have those findings and understand the cause of this incident, the province will be able to take appropriate action toward ensuring something like this does not happen again,” Bains said in a statement on Wednesday.
Crane operators must have a valid certificate and their certification is administered through the BC Association for Crane Safety, according to the Worksafebc website.
There is no additional certification required to assemble or disassemble cranes. Instead, Worksafebc requires that work is done by people qualified under occupational health and safety regulations for cranes and hoists, in accordance with the instructions of the crane manufacturer or a professional engineer.
Our family is devastated by the loss of our fun, kind and loving son/ brother/friend/ nephew/cousin/ husband.