Improper training, inadequate boat led to drowning death of Montreal firefighter during rescue: report
Improper training and an inadequate boat led to the drowning death of a Montreal firefighter during a rescue operation last year in the St. Lawrence River, Quebec's workplace safety board said.
The Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) released its report Thursday after its investigation into the death of Pierre Lacroix, a 58-year-old father of two.
Lacroix died on Oct. 17, 2021, after he and three fellow firefighters went into the Lachine rapids to save two boaters in distress. While preparing to tow the boat to safety, the firefighters' vessel, referred to as 1864, capsized and Lacroix went missing. His body was pulled from the water the following day.
At the time, the Montreal fire chief, Richard Liebmann, said it was "the most difficult duty a fire chief can have" to announce his death.
The CNESST said in its report the rescue mission was going well until the first responders reached a dangerous section of the rapids where a combination of their weight distribution in the rescue boat and the amount of water rushing into it caused it to capsize.
"Firefighters intervened on the basis of incomplete information during a rescue in a sector of the Lachine Rapids that went beyond the navigability limits of their boat," the report added.
"Deficient training of 1864's crew and shoreline command post responders exposed workers to the danger of drowning during a rescue operation in an unmarked area of the Lachine Rapids."
The CNESST fined the City of Montreal under section 237 of the Act respecting occupational health and safety, which carries a penalty between $17,680 and $70,727 for a first offence.
The labour safety board released recommendations for the fire department to identify the risks associated with water rescues, ensure firefighters know the limits of their boat, and "ensure that workers have structured theoretical and practical training in water rescue."
To prevent future tragedies, the CNESST said it would share its investigation report with several stakeholders for training purposes, including the Association of Fire and Civil Safety Managers of Quebec, as well as the National School of Firefighters of Quebec.
The search for the missing firefighter involved an underwater camera, a helicopter, and several hours of nautical searches by multiple police and fire crews from surrounding areas.
Canada's public safety minister, Bill Blair, and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante were among those who offered their condolences to the fallen firefighter who "made the ultimate sacrifice."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pro-Palestinian protesters demand endowment transparency. But it's proving not to be simple
Over the last decade, students have pushed universities to cut financial ties with fossil fuel producers, weapons manufacturers, tobacco companies and prison firms. Here's why it's not always that simple.