Saskatoon

Carl Lamoureux from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., identified as worker killed in Saskatoon crane accident

Family confirm that Carl Lamoureux from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. is the worker killed in a crane accident on July 5 in Saskatoon.

A second man, 37, was also injured and taken to hospital on July 5

man climbing crane
Carl Lamoureux loved working and playing outdoors. (Carl Lamoureux/Facebook)

Family confirm that 38-year-old Carl Lamoureux is the worker killed in a crane accident last weekend in Saskatoon.

They declined to comment because the accident is still under investigation.

The accident happened around 9:40 a.m. CST on July 5 at an apartment building site on Webster Street in the Forest Grove neighbourhood.

A second man, 37, was also injured and taken to hospital.

In a news release, police said the crane setup on the south side of the building collapsed.

crane against building
The crane's horizontal arm resting on the roof of the apartment building. (Dan Zakreski/CBC)

According to his obituary, Lamoureux came from a well-known family in the Fort Saskatchewan area. The obituary for his father, Arthur, charts the family's deep roots dating back to 1872. A nearby hamlet still carries the family's name.

"They are descendants of the original settler Lamoureux brothers. They ran the ferry which linked the old NWMP outpost at Ft. Saskatchewan with the rough and ready capital-to-be down the road, Edmonton. Art Lamoureux was one of a kind. Larger than life itself," the obituary says.

This love of hard work and the outdoors carried to Carl.

"Growing up, he loved nothing more than summers at Buffalo Lake, where he threw himself into every water activity imaginable—sailing, swimming, water skiing, kayaking," Carl's obituary says.

"He could often be found in the fields around Lamoureux and Fort Saskatchewan, searching for geese to contribute to the many tourtières at Lamoureux Christmas dinners — or hunting other game to fill his freezer. And if he wasn't there, he was probably knee-deep in a river somewhere, wearing his hip waders and trying to pull in a sturgeon or some other fish — which, somehow, always seemed to be bigger than all the rest caught that day." 

Occupational Health and Safety investigating

Wright Construction president Chris Doka confirmed the company is the development's main contractor.

"While the individuals injured in the incident were not Wright Construction employees, as the prime contractor for the project, we take the health and safety of all workers extremely seriously," Doka said in a statement emailed to CBC News.

"We are working co-operatively with all authorities and workplace parties involved as they conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident."

The province's Occupational Health and Safety branch is investigating the accident. A spokesperson said in an email that the findings would not automatically be made public.

"There would not be a public report available on any incidents that may have taken place unless there was a successful prosecution," wrote Kate Crowley.

"The ministry publishes news releases in the event of a successful prosecution for serious injuries and fatalities. In addition, a summary report is available for successful fatality prosecutions."

The branch has no information readily available on the number of crane collapse inspections over the past decade "as incidents are not categorized in this way," she added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dan Zakreski is a reporter for CBC Saskatoon.