Coroner's inquest into death of Montreal firefighter begins with rescued boater

The coroner's inquest into the death of a Montreal firefighter began Monday morning in Joliette, Que. by hearing from one of the boaters Lacroix was trying to save when he died.

Pierre Lacroix died on Oct. 17, 2021 at age 58. He and his colleagues were trying to save the lives of two boaters in the St. Lawrence River when their rescue vessel capsized. His colleagues were saved, but Lacroix was trapped under the HammerHead rescue boat. His body was pulled from the water the following day.

Tommy Yi, in his early 20s, broke down Monday as he spoke of that night.

Yi said he had little boating experience, but he had earned his pleasure craft operator’s card about ten years ago as a teenager.

On the day of the rescue, Yi was trying out a boat from a seller in Rawdon, Que. He and a friend transported the vessel back to Montreal, where they placed it in the river near the Lachine Rapids.

In less than 10 minutes, the motor on the 35-year-old boat started to overheat and kept cutting out, Yi told the inquiry.

They called 911 for help.

LISTEN: A boater on the Lachine Rapids in Montreal calls 911 for a water rescue

Yi said they saw the firefighters’ boat coming to them as they drifted badly into the Lachine Rapids as the young man struggled to anchor the boat.

When the boat arrived, they saw four firefighters aboard. The firefighters threw him a rope and told him how to tie it, he said.

As he was attaching it, Yi said he felt a giant pull and saw the firefighters' boat capsize.

The waves were throwing them all over, he said.

He told the inquiry he was scared but managed to get his motor started.

In the dark, he was able to get to the firefighters and get three of them on the boat – but it was too late for Lacroix, who was already unconscious.

LISTEN: Boater speaks to 911 as Montreal firefighters’ rescue boat capsizes 

Stéphanie Lacroix, the fallen firefighter’s daughter, was present at the inquiry Monday. She asked Yi some questions but also thanked him for telling his side of the story.

If he hadn’t gone back, she told him, the other three firefighters might not have survived either. 

Those firefighters will also share their stories during the inquiry. 

Quebec’s public security ministry awarded a posthumous medal of sacrifice to Lacroix.

In October, Quebec's workplace health and safety commission issued a report stating that the rescue boat used by the firefighters was not designed to operate in that part of the rapids.

Coroner Gehane Kamel is in charge of this inquiry that aims to shed light on the circumstances of his death. She will make recommendations for the future of water rescues, if necessary.

The Montreal firefighters association has already called for the complete suspension of the water rescue service until major corrections are made for the safety of its members.

Hearings will take place over the next two weeks.

- With files from The Canadian Press