Friends recall victims of building collapse

Two men worked in concrete industry, one had a three-week-old daughter

Friends and loved ones are mourning the deaths of two men killed in the London construction-site collapse that injured four others as officials continue investigating the cause.

John Martens, 21, and Henry Harder, the 26-year-old father of a newborn, were killed on Friday when a four-storey apartment complex under construction in west London partly collapsed, a workplace disaster that sent shock waves 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, who lived in Langton, and Harder, of Tillsonburg, worked in the concrete industry. Harder's family declined to comment when contacted this past 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.

The four-storey apartment complex was being built at 555 Teeple Terrace, along Wonderland Road near London's Westmount neighbourhood. It is to be called Nest on Wonderland and is being built by London-based Brock Development Group.

It was about noon Friday when the partial collapse happened. Some of the estimated 40 workers present have described seeing and hearing a freshly poured concrete section on the fourth floor collapse and smash down onto each floor beneath to the ground, taking the outer wall with it.

One of the two men killed died in hospital. The body of the second was pulled from the rubble late Saturday. Four others were injured, two of whom were released from hospital this weekend.

As of Sunday, the construction site remained under the watch of London police and Ontario's Ministry of Labour. The co-ordination of police, firefighters and paramedics throughout the weekend drew praise from one official.

“I am very proud of our response and the co-ordination efforts of all involved,” said Dave O'brien, manager of the city's emergency response team.

“Even to my high standards it was an extraordinary event from a response perspective. There were extraordinary efforts.”

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, co-workers 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.

“Don't take your life for granted,” Bueckert said. “We don't know how long each one of us has. We live in a world of unknowns.”