Coroner investigating death at B.C. truck-trailer facility

NEW WESTMINSTER — The B.C. Coroners Service and WorkSafe B.C. continue to investigate a worker’s death at a truck-trailer loading facility in New Westminster.

Coroners’ spokesman Andy Watson said the incident occurred Friday morning and WorkSafe B.C. says it appears the worker was struck by a vehicle.

Watson said the service is still determining exactly how the worker died and whether it can make any recommendations regarding deaths in similar circumstances.

Jordan Atkins, vice-president of Western Transloading Corp., which operates the facility, said the driver was picking up a container on behalf of delivery company TBC Group.

Atkins said there were no witnesses, and the incident occurred in a three-metre space between a building and the view of a surveillance camera.

“We were notified of the situation when one of the drivers came and alerted us that someone had been injured. We called police, the ambulance showed up, a couple of our employees here tried to resuscitate him and were unsuccessful,” Atkins said.

“What I do know of the driver who passed away is he’s extremely experienced, he’s been in the industry for more than 19 years from what I understand.”

New Westminster police said in a statement they are also investigating the death at a location in the Queensborough neighbourhood.

Sgt. Jeff Scott says it’s a tragic event and their thoughts are with the family of the person killed.

Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement is also present at the scene. —